The Eternal Empire
by TheBobcat18
Summary: A long time ago... in a galaxy far, far away. A young Jedi and his Sith friend helped topple an Empire. Now in the aftermath of the final battle, Luke Skywalker seeks to establish peace throughout the galaxy with the help of his friends. But as the peace begins to take root, an ancient evil begins to stir. And a new generation of heroes rises to meet it. Sequel to The Dark Fairy.
1. Prologue

Eternal Empire

Prologue

Stars twinkled high overhead as a woman wearing typical witches garb, large pointed hat included, finished scaling a tall hill that overlooked the little city of Magnolia. Her scarlet colored hair ran down from beneath her hat in two thick braids. In her right hand was a large wooden staff. She planted it firmly in the grass atop the hill she stood upon. Her gloved hand gently caressing the fine wood finish. Tonight was the night. This warm summer evening was the one her Emperor had foreseen. The one she was told to watch out for.

It was a mission meant only for her. A surveillance mission. Nothing more. Keep an eye on the child that was about to be born. Make sure she lives until the return of her Emperor. Those were her orders. And she took those orders very seriously. She did not know the ultimate purpose behind this mission. She did not know why her Emperor wanted her to keep this child safe. But frankly, she didn't care about the why's and how's of it all. If her Emperor commanded her to do something, then it would be done. No questions asked. And his orders would be accomplished to the letter. Regardless of any variables that could arise.

When she was told that she must execute this mission alone, she took that to heart. Her two loyal servants, Heine Lunasea and Juliet Sun, were so disappointed when she ordered them to remain in Alvarez. Those two were like her own little children. And they acted like it sometimes. Especially in the moments after she informed them they would be staying at home.

Her red lips smirked. Those two complained like little toddlers. Then again, it could be that boring when in the company of August. Maybe the old man would teach them some patience. It would do them some good.

A gust of warm wind whipped by her, causing the trees surrounding her to shudder. And with it was carried a cry of pain generated by a young woman. It made her hair stand on end as she heard that ear piercing wail of pain. Irene Belserion pitied the young woman in the small cabin below. She knew the kind of pain she was going through. It certainly was not pleasant. And as cruel as the Scarlet Despair could be, she wouldn't wish the pain of childbirth on any other living soul.

Her sensitive ears began to pick up panicked voices coming from the cabin.

"Natsu, fire will not help!"

"I'm trying to keep her warm, Luce!"

"Dammit all Salamander, back off!" A gruff voice snarled.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"

"Yes Meldy."

"Thank you! Just breath Wendy… ooosah."

Another wail of pain made Irene's ears ring. She winced and picked at her left ear with her pinkie finger. That one was exceptionally loud. She sighed and leaned up against her staff. This was going to be a long, loud night.

A dark presence descended like a black storm cloud behind her. Irene's previously bored expression changed to an intrigued one.

 _Perhaps it won't be as dull an affair as I thought._

Without evening turning to address her guest, she spoke.

"I was wondering if you were going to show up for this."

There was no reply. Just the sound of bare feet stomping towards her. The raw power of the being behind her made Irene want to shudder with anticipation. Oh a fight with this creature would certainly be entertaining. She was craving a good challenge. She hadn't had one in years. And old August never entertained her challenges. That old stick in the mud. But… she had a job to do.

Her staff flicked out and caught her visitor on his muscular chest, making him freeze in place. She could see the fury in his green eyes at being denied what he desired. A tsk sound came from her lips.

"Not another step closer dear." Irene warned, "Or things may get rather nasty."

The man beside her was tall and muscular. Long, wild, dark blue hair ran down from his head. His shoulders and bare chest were covered by a torn black cloak with a necklace of red claws around his neck. At the center of the necklace, was an opaque crystal foreign to Irene's eyes. His tanned skin was covered in blue markings that ran like ribbons over his rippling muscles. His dark green eyes were rimmed with black and they carried a sharp look that could make any woman swoon or tremble with fear.

"Do you really think," He started, his voice growling with malice. Powerful fingers with long, sharp nails gripped the staff a lowered it away from his chest, "That you can take me, witch?"

Irene smirked, "I'm not sure. But I wouldn't mind finding out."

Her visitor grinned, blood lust filling his eyes.

"However," Irene continued, dashing his smirk from his lips, "As much as you and I desire to have fun tonight, my Emperor would be most displeased."

He growled, "Your Emperor has abandoned this planet."

"Has he now?" Irene replied, "And how did you acquire your accurate intelligence?"

His green eyes narrowed. She was mocking him. It made him want to kill her right where she stood. But her lackadaisical attitude and confident demeanor in his presence made him hesitate. There was more to this witch than met the eye. It would be wise to exercise caution with this one. She was not simple prey like the others.

"My lord has not abandoned this planet. He is merely lowering its profile by removing himself from us. Temporarily of course."

"For what purpose?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

His claw like hand reached out to grip her throat only for a delicate, gloved hand to easily catch his wrist.

"All you had to say was the magic word, dear."

He growled. This woman was testing his patience. Perhaps he would make her prey tonight. But the whereabouts of the black wizard were more important than satisfying his growing blood lust. He had always been aware of the man's whereabouts. But suddenly, nine months ago, the one man who could challenge him for supremacy over this planet vanished. And this woman claimed to know why.

"Please." he snarled.

"Oh very well." Irene smirked, "The black wizard Zeref is no more."

His green eyes widened in surprise. That was not an answer he was expecting.

"He has been, oh how do I put it? Upgraded? Maybe… or is it better to say replaced?" Irene shrugged, "Semantics matter not. But know that someone far more powerful than Lord Zeref is now my Emperor. And he did not remain on this planet, because if he did, the Jedi would come for him. And he does not wish to be discovered, yet."

"So I have no challengers?"

"As of right now, no." A mad grin spread across her visitor's lips, "But… ponder this, Dragon King. Do you want the fury of the Sith Emperor coming down upon you?"

The grin died immediately. His green eyes narrowed at her.

"Who?"

"Oh you know who, you overgrown lizard." Irene snapped back, "Don't play dumb. I know you aren't. You are ancient enough to have heard the legends of the man from the Sith themselves."

She heard him gulp.

"So you are aware!?" She exclaimed, "Good. Now… before we continue, may I inquire why you have descended from your throne in the mountains and come down to little Magnolia."

The man turned his gaze away from the woman.

"I felt the presence of a Sith being born." He scowled, "As well as a dragon."

"A sith dragon!?" Irene gasped, "Such as yourself!? Now we can't have that can we?"

"Enough of your mocking, witch."

Irene's playful grin fell away. It was replaced by a cold glare that managed to make the man shudder a little bit. If he ever did fight this woman, it would be a battle he would long remember. He had no doubts she would make him work for victory.

"Very well then. Ruin my fun." She grumbled, "This family is under the protection of my Emperor. You are not to lay a finger on Wendy Marvell or her child. If you do, there will be no where you can hide. No where you can run. Your only option will be to submit to him, or kill yourself."

"Do you think I fear an ancient being such as him?"

"I know you fear a being such as him. Otherwise, you wouldn't have stopped to talk to me." She saw the defeat on his face. It may not have been the type of battle she craved, but it was still an entertaining little discussion, "Run along, Dragon King. There must be other things for you to kill tonight."

As suddenly as the man had appeared, he left. But unlike his appearance, his disappearance was a silent act. An act of cautious calculations. The Dragon King was by no means a fool. He now knew who he might be up against. And judging by how easy it was to persuade him to leave… he was afraid.

….

Great stone doors that had been sealed for centuries slowly groaned inward, allowing a storm of rust colored dust to come into the cavernous hall in small flurries. Once the doors had opened enough, a lone figure stepped through them and into the dark halls of the massive palace. With a simple raise of his hand, the great stone doors stopped swinging inwards. His hand then fell to his side. As if they were heading the commands of their master, the doors swiftly sealed shut once again. Preventing more of that infernal red dust from entering his beloved palace.

It had taken him nine months to finally reach this place. His pilot had great difficulty finding it on the star charts for him. Then there was the matter of plotting a new hyperspace course. Several thousand years lying dormant in a holocron tended to change one's perception of a galactic map. There were planets on it now that he had never heard of before. And there were asteroid fields, nebulae, supernovas, and black holes that had previously not existed during his time thousand of years ago. All of those small variables had to be accounted for when traveling the stars. Otherwise, big consequences could result. Most notably death.

The body he possessed was supposedly immortal. Impervious to all physical harm and ailments. But, he had no desire to test this out. For all he knew, the curse that once gripped this fragile human form had lifted once he assimilated Zeref into his consciousness. Or maybe he owned the curse now. In which case, no more need for essence transfer. That was a lovely possibility. It was after all, a tiresome and lengthy process that always left him far weaker than before.

His boot clad feet gently carried him across the dust covered floors, further into the darkness of the long abandoned temple. He counted his steps, drawing from his long memory the number of footfalls it took before he finally reached his destination. At the right number, he stopped walking and smiled.

There it was. His absolute favorite chair. A regal seat made of the lightsaber hilts of his defeated foes. And it had leather cushions still, excellent. He took another step forward before pausing. The sound of two stone statues breaking made him smirk. His smirk only grew wider as he heard the padded footfalls of two men in black robes stepping towards him from either side. Their faces wholly consumed in the shadows of their robes. Their hands hidden in black gloves. Not a speck of skin showing for either of them. The only way to distinguish the two was by height. One was tall and incredibly thin. The other was shorter, stockier, and broad shouldered.

"Ah…" He started, rising to his full height and nodding to the two robed figures, "My favorite priests." He held out his hands to the side, "I have returned, as promised."

" _ **How can we know it is you, Master?"**_ The tall thin one to his right inquired.

" _ **How can we know that it is our Emperor?"**_ The short, stocky one to his left wondered.

The man grinned, "Apt questions. Ones that shall now be answered."

He raised his hand and the entire temple began to tremble. The two priests remained unmoved as the Dark Side of the force roared and heeded the call of a master. Pale lightning danced off of the fingertips of his raised hand before shooting outwards in great bolts. Each bolt struck a pillar in the palace. And as the pillars were struck, fires began to burn around them, illuminating the once dark, desolate place. Despite the flickering orange flames around them, the two priests were still entirely hidden in shadows.

The storm of lightning continued as each pillar was struck. Wind whipped up into a fury and the Force howled at the mighty power being conjured. When he was satisfied, the man lowered his hand and the last bolts of lightning struck the stone walls with a loud clap of thunder.

The priests judged the man silently for a moment. Then they both dropped to their knees and bowed lowly.

" _ **We welcome you home, Emperor Vitiate."**_ They declared in unison, " _ **We have been patiently awaiting your return."**_

Vitiate smiled, "I can see that." he stepped towards his favorite chair and sank into the cracked, dusty leather. Instantly, he felt far more comfortable, "Such loyalty will be greatly rewarded." He then nodded to them both, "Rise."

The ancient Emperor tapped the armrests of his chair, dust puffing up from the worn leather as he did so.

"I see the place has not been well kept."

The slim priest gulped, " _ **We had to conserve our energy my lord. Your return took far longer than we had anticipated."**_

He nodded, "Understandable. We can easily acquire slaves once again to perform maintenance. But first… I have a task that needs to be completed by both of you. Well, two tasks actually." He tapped a comm on his wrists, "Pilot, you may enter."

With a wave of his hand, the great stone doors opened, allowing a young pilot wearing a Galactic Empire uniform in. He held a handkerchief over his face and wore tinted goggles over his eyes. Both were now covered in a layer of dust. His platinum blonde hair was caked with rust colored dust that swirled in storms outside of the palace. Behind him, he dragged a floating durasteel coffin.

With another wave of his hand, the doors sealed shut behind the pilot.

"Come closer, pilot. And bring the cargo with you." Vitiate ordered.

The pilot readily complied. He carefully guided the coffin towards Vitiate's throne. Both of the shadowed priests watched with interest as the young man strode forward.

"Zeref never asked, neither have I. But what is your name?"

"Zak Tratt."

The Emperor raised an eyebrow, "Mandalorian? No wonder I liked you. I must thank you as well for your loyal service. Without it, I never would've gotten to sit in my favorite chair again."

Tratt bowed, "It is an honor, my lord."

"Oh, please. Do show our priests what is in the coffin."

Tratt nodded and quickly hit several buttons on the side of the silver tube. The top slowly slid to the side and hovered beside the bottom. Both priests glided forward and peered inside.

" _ **Strange armor for a pilot?"**_ The slim one muttered.

" _ **The Dark Side of the Force clings to him."**_ The stocky one commented, " _ **Who is this, Master?"**_

"It'd be more accurate to say, who was this man." Vitiate replied, his tone growing somewhat somber. Both priests drew back when he said this. It was unlike their master to feel remorse for the death of anyone. And he seemed to sense their surprise, "The personality of this body assimilated with my own. And I picked up some of the traits. One of those traits was… a somewhat somber attitude towards death. So forgive my tone, it means nothing other than that. Simple side effects of yet another essence transfer."

The priests nodded before returning their attention to the boy in the coffin. Their shadowy fingers slowly began to prod him. Examining the cold, dead body. Running gloved hands through his blonde hair and opening the lifeless blue eyes.

"His name does not matter." Vitiate stated, "He was a simple grunt that was killed following a space battle, nothing more."

" _ **Who killed him then?"**_ Asked the thin priest.

" _ **There are no wounds."**_ The other observed.

"Does it really matter?" Vitiate said with disgust, "His death, as I have already said, is insignificant. I think you both will be interested by what resides inside of this insignificant pilot." The priests stared intently at the body, "Do you feel it?"

" _ **Another exists here."**_ The tall one deduced.

" _ **Another sith, who has learned your ways, master."**_ The short one noted.

"Correct. Inside this man, is a particular parasite named Darth Plagueis. Aptly named if I do say so myself." He leaned back in his throne, "Draw him out. I want to speak with him."

The priests bowed to their Emperor before spreading their arms out over the casket. They then began to chant in a language that Zak did not recognize. It's words sounded harsh to his ears and it made a well of fear build up in his chest.

"I would suggest you move back, Mr. Tratt." Vitiate advised, "Lord Plagueis is not going to be in a particularly good mood."

Zak gulped and stepped a few paces back. Suddenly, the chanting stopped. Zak arched an eyebrow. Nothing had happened. The two priests remained motionless, stooping over the casket like two gargoyles from the sides of a Gothic cathedral. Vitiate leaned forward in his seat.

A sudden blast of energy sent Zak flying off of his feet and colliding into the pillar behind him. Rust colored dust kicked up all around him, covering his skin and uniform in even more of the stuff. The priests had slid back a few feet, but kept the same stooped posture as before. Vitiate was unmoved. The blast not even affecting him. Not a single hair on his head was even moved out of place. Although he did have a small smirk on his face.

Zak's eyes widened in fear as he saw a dark flowing shadow appearing from the once lifeless body. The chanting of the priests were no longer mutters but loud shouts in that grating language that made him feel unrestrained terror. The shadow finished billowing out of the boy and slowly floated over in front of the casket. Then it began to take shape. Zak saw the form of a shadowy Muun in black robes appear before Vitiate's throne.

The two stared at each other silent for a moment. Vitiate with a mischievous gleam in his eyes while the shadow fumed. Then the shadow raised a cloudy hand. Vitiate instantly jumped to his feet and copied the motion. Two pulses of the force burst from the hands of Vitiate and Plagueis. They collided in between, causing a small, flame-less explosion to occur. The sound of which made Zak's eardrums pop.

Vitiate's lips turned into an amused smirk before he balled up his hand into a fist. The shadow screeched in pain and was thrust to the ground.

"You should know better than to do that, Plagueis." Vitiate stated.

" **I will not be made into a servant!"** The shadow growled before being flipped over by Vitiate.

"Oh really? An interesting declaration." Vitiate chuckled before losing his casual demeanor. His face turned into a mask of malice that made Zak tremble, "They all said that to me Plagueis. Before they bent the knee to me."

" **They were all weaklings!"**

 ****"Much like you are to me." Vitiate retorted, tightening his fist, "Come now Plagueis. You know you cannot resist me. However, I can understand your reservations on becoming one of my many… partners. But, I can assure you. The benefits far outweigh the risks."

" **I am no servant!"**

"Would you rather serve a rich king? Or be a poor beggar?" Vitiate asked, "Or… worse yet, a dead Muun." he cringed, "That would really put a damper on your quest for immortality now wouldn't it?"

Plagueis remained silent.

"I have things I can offer you, Plagueis. Many things that you desire. You are… an intellectual like myself after all." Vitiate rose from his throne and walked over to the casket behind Plagueis's shadowy form, "And an intellectual, does not wish to die until they discover all of the secrets of the universe, and the force." His hand pushed the casket closed, "You cannot do that with a dead host. And if you do not find a new host soon, you will be claimed by the force. And...well, if you do not wish to serve me then I hope you enjoy Hell."

" **Wait."** Plagueis snarled, stopping Vitiate from telling his priests to banish him away, " **If I were to become your… partner. What would you have me do?"**

 ****Vitiate smiled, "I would have you be my eyes, ears, and mouth. I would have you be the one going out into the galaxy and bringing me new potential Sith Lords to train. I would have you be the face of my Empire until such a time that I decide to emerge once again."

" **And why would you choose me?"**

"Because Plagueis, your accomplishments have not gone unnoticed by me. You are very talented. And if it wasn't for your apprentice's treachery," The shadow darkened, "You would've possibly become the greatest Sith Lord who had ever lived. You are excellent at playing the game of influence. And while I am too, I cannot afford to expose myself. I am still growing used to this body's limits. For all I know, I cannot control my signature with this form yet and the Jedi will be immediately alerted to my existence. That is something I cannot afford. So… I need a middleman. I want you to be that middleman. You will be second to me in my Empire. So really, you are a partner. Not a servant."

Plagueis hovered before Vitiate. The offer was actually a really good one. Certainly preferable to being claimed by the Force. He could already feel it pulling on his ethereal form. Trying to take him away from the realm of the living. There was one problem with Vitiate's offer. Plagueis would still be merely a servant to him. And that made his blood boil. He served no one. He was the one meant to be served.

But, he didn't exactly have a choice from the sounds of things. It was either die and be claimed by the force, or join Emperor Vitiate and play a part in his grand plans. With a disgruntled growl, Plagueis made up his mind.

"I take that as a yes." Vitiate stated.

" **Yes."**

Vitiate's lips curled into a smile, "Very good. You will need a pseudonym out in the galaxy. No doubt the sudden reappearance of a Hego Damask would cause some controversy. That is the last thing we need. Choose a name that does not sound threatening. Then begin your work. If you find a force sensitive worthy of the Dark Side, then bring him to me. Once you deem him or her ready of course. In the meantime, I shall work on your reward for your loyalty."

" **Reward?"**

"Yes, Plagueis. I always reward loyalty. It's not something that I take for granted. You seek a permanent vessel. One that is powerful and worthy of your own power. You thought Lord Draconis was that vessel. Unfortunately, you also chose someone that the force had deemed its champion of the Dark Side. Strange how common coincidences like that are in our universe. And so you were denied."

Vitiate walked around Plagueis's shadow and sank back into his throne, small puffs of dust coming from the cushions as his weight sank into the seat.

"I will not deny you Plagueis. When I find a suitable host for you, I will present them to you. And you can do what you please. But until then, do your job. And do it well." Vitiate snapped his fingers at the tall, thin priest, "Priest! Assist Lord Plagueis with finding a physical form. And make it a good one."

" _ **Yes master."**_ The tall one bowed before waving at Plagueis to follow him deeper into the temple. As they left, Vitiate turned to the lone remaining priest.

"I have one more task for you."

" _ **Name it master, and it will be done."**_

Vitiate nodded at the casket, "Give him a proper service. He has earned such."

The priest tilted its head to the side, puzzled by his Master's strange kindness.

"Must I repeat myself?"

" _ **N-no master.**_ " He bowed, " _ **It will be done."**_

"Good. Hurry up now. We have many tasks to complete." Vitate wiped a finger on the armrests of his chair and rubbed the dust between his index finger and thumb, "The most important of which will be dusting."


	2. A Bad Good Morning

**Hello once again everyone! I'm The Bobcat and this is a brand new story for everyone. The sequel to The Dark Fairy… The Eternal Empire.**

 **For those of you who have read the previous story, WELCOME BACK! I'm so glad to see you all here again! And for those of you just joining us now, I do suggest reading the first story. It'll help reveal character motivations, plot points, and clarify how all of our favorite characters ended up where they are at this point.**

 **Alrighty then, with that out of the way, let's begin!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 1

A Bad Good Morning

 _ **Sixteen years after the Battle of Earthland…**_

 _She stood at the top of the mountain. Her eyes glaring furiously down at the masses of enemies down below. They were all coming for her. For the treasure she had managed to steal from them. Her fingers rubbed against the medallion in the right pocket of her tan shorts. A small smirk formed on her lips. They would be hard pressed to take this from her._

 _As the samurai in black armor charged up the mountain at her, she whipped her hair out of her face with incredible grace before charging her magic power. She could feel it surging within her, a well of energy erupting to the surface. The power tingling against her fingertips, filling her chest, ready to be launched at these poor grunts coming towards her. With a dangerous sparkle in her hazel eyes, she formed a funnel with her hands and put them to her lips._

 _The Samurai halted and began to look worriedly at each other. Then panic seized the army in black. They began to retreat down the mountainside, suddenly realizing their grave error. But it was too late. They had unleashed the mighty Sky Dragon Slayer. With a wide, triumphant smile, the woman sucked in air._

" _ **SKY DRAGON'S-"**_

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BE-*

*WHACK!*

Her eyes slowly cracked open then quickly snapped shut again as she felt the sun's rays peeking through the blinds of her window. A groan escaped her lips before she cracked one of her eyes open again to stare at her alarm clock.

"Seven o'clock." The young girl mumbled before closing her eye again and groaning.

Her hands wrapped around the covers that laid haphazardly over her small form. She quietly pulled them tighter around her body and sank deeper into her bed. Just as she was about to doze off and enter her dreams once again, she heard her bedroom door crash open.

"~Wake Up~!" Came the sing song voice of her aunt. A voice that, in the morning when she was still groggy, made her ears bleed.

The young girl grumbled and tossed over in her bed, facing away from her door.

"Maki Marvell…" Her aunt sighed. She heard her soft footsteps come around her bed to where she was facing. A gentle hand brushed her pale cheek and carefully combed some of her black hair out of her eyes, "It's time to get up Maki."

Maki shook her head and rolled over once again, taking her covers with her.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled sleepily.

Her aunt clicked her tongue, "Not this time sweetie." She shook her shoulder, "C'mon, get up. It's a big day for you after all."

"No it's not." Maki grumbled.

Her aunt placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips.

"Do I need to go get your Uncle Galen?"

Maki's eyes shot open, "N-no." she quivered fearfully.

"Mhmm, that's what I thought." Meldy Marek nodded before playfully patting Maki's arm, "C'mon now, get up. Breakfast is on the table, waiting to be gobbled down by you!"

"Just… give me a-" Maki yawned loudly and rubbed her hazel eyes, "Moment."

"Sure thing sweetheart." Aunt Meldy replied as she quickly left her room.

When she was certain her aunt had disappeared down the hallway, Maki groaned and slowly sat up in her bed. Her lips smacked together as she stretched her arms high above her head. A loud yawn escaped her lips once again before she scratched her lower back and swung her legs out from her bed's clutches. She wiggled her toes momentarily before jumping down from her bed onto the soft carpet below. Her legs carried her exhausted body over to the mirror that hung from her closet door.

Every morning she came here, just to look. It was part of her daily routine. Another way for her to see and complain about her inadequacies. Maki Marvell's lips frowned as she glanced up at her snarled black hair.

 _That's going to be fun to brush._ She thought as she pulled on the snags and knots that topped her head.

Another disappointed sigh escaped her when she looked down at her chest. Her white sleeping shirt fell flat against her. Absolutely nothing there. Her hands went up and down, patting against the sides of her skinny thighs.

 _When am I finally going to get them?_ Maki wondered before yawning again. She slipped on the small, pink bunny slippers that sat beside her closet mirror and slowly began to trudge towards the kitchen.

As she entered the kitchen, she could smell the sweet, succulent scent of bacon hovering in the air. Mixed with the smell of fried eggs, and her mouth began to water involuntarily. Her sensitive ears heard the sound of the bread in the toaster crisping. With a loud chime, the bread popped up from the toaster.

"Breakfast smells good." She mumbled as she pulled a wooden chair out from the small round table on the other side of the kitchen counter.

Her mind must've still been caught in a sleep induced fog, because she didn't even notice the man sitting across from her, newspaper in hand as he glanced over the top of it and narrowed his eyes at her.

He was in his mid thirties now. But he barely showed any signs of age at all. His short hair was still jet black, just as it was in his youth. His body was still strong and athletic. And his mind was still as sharp as a whip. But he had picked up the habits of a middle aged man. one of those habits was reading the daily newspaper as he sipped on a warm cup of coffee. A drink he had come to really enjoy the longer he lived on Earthland. When he saw Maki slump into her seat he smirked.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"Yes, Uncle Galen." Maki mumbled as she grabbed the pitcher of milk at the center of the table and began to mindlessly fill her glass.

"Sure you did." Galen replied sarcastically, "Is that why your hair looks like the backside of a Wookie?"

"Galen…" Meldy said with a dangerous twinge in her voice.

"What?" Galen asked as he folded the Magnolia Inquirer Newspaper and placed it on the table beside his plate, "I'm only telling her the truth."

"The truth hurts." Maki muttered as her eyes began to slowly shut.

"Maki…"

*Snore*

"Maki!" Meldy called again.

"Buwuh?" Maki sputtered before realizing that the milk she was pouring had overflowed from her glass and spilled onto the table. She quickly placed the pitcher back at the center of the table and grumbled quietly to herself as she soaked up the spilled milk with her napkin.

"Thanks for the warning." She muttered to Galen.

"Your welcome." Galen replied as he sipped on a cup of coffee. He let out a satisfied sigh as Meldy brought a platter out from the kitchen that was piled high with bacon, eggs, and toast.

"Breakfast is served!" She smiled happily.

"Looks great hon."

"Thanks, my Starboy." She grinned slyly.

"Ugh…" Galen bowed his head while Maki snickered to herself, "You know how much I hate that nickname."

Meldy tossed a napkin at him as she sat down, "It's your nickname, so learn to like it."

"It's been how many years since you gave it to me? And I still can't stand it."

"Well you were always a little slow on the uptake." Meldy retorted with a grin as she popped a piece of bacon into her mouth.

"Hey!" Galen cried defensively while Maki chuckled quietly.

This was the one good thing about this morning so far. Watching her Aunt Meldy totally embarrass her Uncle Galen. It was one of the most entertaining things in the world for Maki. And it completely made up for having to wake up at such an early time. While her Aunt and Uncle continued to badger each other, she silently munched on her bacon and eggs while contemplating the disaster that this day was no doubt going to be.

"So Maki."

"Hm?"

"Are you excited?" Meldy asked with a smile.

"For what?" Maki replied.

"For your big day!" Meldy grinned before looking at a puzzled Galen, "Today's the day… remember?"

"Hm? OH!" Galen suddenly exclaimed as Meldy gave him a dangerous stare, "R-right! Job day!"

"Yup!" Meldy smiled before glancing back at the sulking Maki, "Don't worry sweetie. Kinana is an awesome person to work with."

"I'm going to be a waitress… at the guildhall." Maki replied, "And I'm fifteen."

"I don't see what's wrong with that." Meldy replied with a shrug, "Do you Galen?"

"That's lovely hon." He replied carelessly as he read his newspaper, "Did you hear that Gray is in the running for the open Wizard Saint position?"

"Galen!"

"What!?"

"There's nothing wrong with being a waitress at the guildhall, right?"

Galen blinked and hesitated. He glanced at Maki then back at Meldy, "Um… yeah. Nothing wrong with that at all."

Maki bowed her head and huffed. That was not the answer she was hoping to hear. It just was another declaration of how much of a disappointment she was. Her Uncle's reluctance to say that she was doing something great only proved that. She took one last nibble of toast before placing it back on her plate.

"I'm not hungry anymore." She muttered before retreating to her room to get ready.

"Maki." Meldy called softly, "Maki!" The pinkette glared at Galen, "Look at what you did?"

"Uh… what did I do?"

Maki quickly shut her door to muffle out their argument. With a heavy sigh she walked into her small bathroom and undressed before stepping into the shower. The hot water calmed all of her tense nerves almost instantly. It nearly caused her to fall asleep standing up just from how relaxing it was. She was so relaxed in fact, that she failed to notice how long she spent just standing there. It was only when she heard Meldy pounding on the door that she realized she was out of time.

"MAKI! ELECTRIC BILL!"

 _Crap!_ "Sorry!" Maki called as she gave herself a quick scrub before shutting the shower off, drying herself off and walking back out into her room; a towel wrapped around her small body and another wrapped around her long hair. She slowly walked over to her small closet and flung the doors open revealing her collection of clothes to wear.

"Let's see." She muttered as her fingers danced over the hanging clothes, "Black jeans? Mmm… maybe?" She plucked them from the closet and hung them on the door handle, "Black shirt?"

 _Nah… too plain. Ooooh, the skull one!_

She then froze as she went to grab it. _On second thought, Aunt Meldy might flip out if she saw me wearing that one._ Her hands then hovered over a scarlet hoodie lined with black. _Flashy today? Mmmmm… no… to stupid of a day for flashy._ She sighed, "Black shirt it is then."

After she finally got herself dress and managed to untangle all of the knots in her long hair. She quickly raced down the hall to the front door. Just as she was about to pull the door open she heard her Aunt Meldy call her.

"Maki wait!"

 _Oh no… not again! Not again!_

Her aunt wrapped her up in a large hug and quickly pecked her cheek, making Maki's cheeks turn red with both embarrassment and annoyance.

"Have a great day, Maki." Meldy smiled.

"Yeah, yeah." Maki replied before quickly leaving the house.

She slowly made her way along the paved stone roads of her quiet hometown. Magnolia was nice enough, she supposed. It was quiet, she could always hear the gentle rippling of the canal waters with her sensitive ears. Despite how annoying her super hearing could be, she always found that sound very comforting. Maybe it's because it told her she was home. But then again, home sucked sometimes too.

She continued slowly strolling along the main canal of the city in the direction of Kardia Cathedral. Her head bowed and shoulders slumped as she stared at her feet while walking. The sun was barely starting to rise in the sky. That realization only made her mood worse.

 _It's way to early for this crap._

"Good morning, Maki!" Waved a two old fishermen from their boat in the canal.

"Morning." She waved back halfheartedly.

"Cheer up, girl!" The second old fisherman grinned as he gnawed on a cigar in between his teeth, "It's a lovely morning."

"Sure." She replied before continuing her gloomy walk.

A hard right at Kardia Cathedral and then she could see it. The bane of her entire existence. The guild that dominated this city… Fairy Tail. And now, she couldn't stay away from that place anymore. She had to go there now. She was employed there now. A waitress for the drunks and wizards that constantly flocked to the popular guild hall. It was going to be hell. Hopefully her boss was nice though. She heard she was. Kinana was supposed to be a very kind lady. But Maki had never met her. And from her experience dealing with people in Fairy Tail, Aunt Meldy's characterization of Kinana was going to be false. They all acted so differently around her than with Aunt Meldy and Uncle Galen. Some gave her a cold shoulder. Many of the kids her own age mocked her. Bullied her. She didn't know why. Scratch that, she knew why. It could all be summed up in one nickname that she could already hear the boys at the guild shouting from down the road as she approached the guild hall.

"Hey look!" Pointed a slim boy with spiky orange hair, "No Magic Maki has finally showed her face!"

The others around him laughed meanwhile Maki paused and sighed.

"It's shown dingus, not showed." she replied.

"Hey!" The orange haired kid growled before taking a threatening step forward, "What'd you call me!?"

Maki froze. This idiot with the gigantic ego and hair the color of a ripe orange was the son of Jet, the famous wizard from the legendary team Shadow Gear. This particular dingus's name, was Dash. Fitting name in Maki's opinion. The thirteen year old was ridiculously fast. And an accelerated punch from him always left a nasty mark.

"Answer me, wimp!" Dash growled as he reared a fist back.

Maki squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself. Just as Dash was about to throw his punch, Maki's ears picked up the sound of small feet rushing towards them. She then smelled smoke. Her hazel eyes shot open and terror gripped her.

 _Oh no!_

" **FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"**

A small fist crashed into Dash's cheek and sent him flying through the guild hall doors. It was at this point that Maki began to silently attempt to sneak away as a pink haired demon from the deepest pits of hell pounded her fists on the group of bullies, bruising their cheeks and breaking their noses as her fists and feet flailed. Just as she managed to reach the guild hall doors, she heard the punches stop. Maki froze as she felt extreme heat breathing against her back.

It was her. The second bane of her entire existence. The one thing that was possibly more annoying than this stupid guild hall. She heard the monster suck in a large amount of air. Maki tensed then sighed before holding out her hand. The loud inhale stopped abruptly.

"Please Nashi…" Maki sighed, "Not today. Just… not today."

Behind her, the petite, pink hair girl pouted.

"But Maki!" Nashi Dragneel cried with dissapointment, "It's a gooood morn-"

"No!" Maki shouted before rubbing her temples, "Just no!"

"Oh fine." Nashi replied as she crossed her arms over her bandage wrapped chest. The sleeves of her over sized black waistcoat flopping against her sides as she moved, "Good morning Miss Miserable."

"That's better." Maki nodded as she laid a hand against the guild hall door, ready to enter hell.

"So whatcha doing here, bestie?" Nashi asked as she pulled on Maki's sleeve and grinned widely, revealing sharp canine teeth.

Maki looked back at those revolting, happy brown eyes, "I'm going to a job."

Nashi's eyes widened and she began to clap her hands together happily, "A JOB! OH MY GOSH MAKI! THAT'S AMAZING!" She spun around before gripping Maki's thin arms, "We should go on one together! The two of us, Fire Dragon and…" Nashi blinked, "What's your magic again?"

"You idiot." Maki grumbled as she pushed the doors open and walked into the already crowded guildhall with Nashi.

"No seriously, what is it again?"

"It's not a magic job, dumb ass." Maki growled, "I don't have any magic, remember!?"

"Oh… yeah." Nashi grinned sheepishly, "Sorry, I forgot."

"You forget everything." Maki grumbled as they weaved between teh tables towards the bar.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Liar!" Nashi stuck her tongue out at Maki as she crossed her arms.

"Really?"

"Really!"

"What's my middle name then?" Maki asked.

"Oh that's easy its… uh…" Nashi squeezed her eyes shut as she strained to remember, "Um… uh… Igneel?"

"That's yours dumb ass."

"Well forgive me if I can't remember every single little detail." Nashi replied defensively as she jumped onto a barstool and folded her hands on the wooden counter top. Meanwhile, Maki stepped behind the bar and waited.

"You know, for someone who claims to be my bestie, you have a hard time remembering the important details."

"How is a middle name important?" Nashi asked as she tapped her warm hands against the wooden counter top.

"I don't know." Maki shrugged, "It makes a person truly unique."

"Unique?" Nashi nodded, "I think I've heard of that dish before. Is it tasty?"

Maki stared dumbfounded at the pinkette before she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Unique is another way to say different." Maki deadpanned.

"I knew that!" Nashi declared as a woman wearing a white and green dress with lace along the edges. Her violet hair was cut into a short style that covered her ears and wrapped neatly around her round head. The woman was about Maki's height. Which was not very tall.

"Good morning girls." She smiled brightly at them.

"Good morning Ms. Kinana!" Nashi smiled.

"Hey." Maki grumbled.

Kinana nodded to Nashi and reached under the counter, grabbing a small shot glass. As she did so, she spoke to Maki.

"Are you ready for today, Maki?"

"No." Maki replied indignantly.

"Oh cheer up." Kinana replied as she struck a match and set the shot glass aflame, "This job is actually a lot of fun." She slid the glass over to Nashi who grinned before greedily devouring the orange flames.

"I doubt it." Maki muttered under her breath as she longingly gazed at the job request board that ran along eastern wall of the building.

The entire cork board was chock full of job requests. Each with a certain task, and every single one with a large amount of jewels promised as the reward. Each request was unique, interesting, it's own little adventure. And Maki craved the chance to go on one. It was a dream of hers.

But sadly, she was No Magic Maki. An utter failure at the art of wizardry. Her only magical qualities were her senses. Her sight, smell, and hearing were excellent. Traits given to her by her mother, the famous Sky Dragon Slayer, Wendy Marvell.

"Alright Maki! Get an apron on. Old Macao and Wakaba just sat down."

"Who?" Maki asked.

"Whaddaya mean who?" Kinana gasped, "They are old friends of your fath-" She stopped abruptly and bit her lip before quickly turning to fill glasses of beer for the two older wizards now shuffling cards at their favorite table.

"Wait, what did you say!?" Maki suddenly exclaimed, her melancholy and boredom instantly forgotten, "Did you say they're old friends of my father?"

"No, no I didn't."

Maki glanced at Nashi who nodded.

"She's lying."

"Nashi!" Kinana gasped.

"I'll take their table." Maki declared as she snagged the beer mugs and strode over to the two wizards.

"Oh dear." Kinana sighed, "I shouldn't have let that slip."

"She's motivated now at leasht." A brunette woman slurred as she sank into a weathered bar stool.

"The usual Cana?" Kinana sighed as she wiped a bar glass clean.

"Yesh please." The drunk card mage replied.

"Can I have one too, Kinana?" Nashi asked with wide puppy eyes.

"No. Your mother would kill me. But I can give you another fire shot."

"YES!"

While Nashi remained at the counter, chatting nonstop with Kinana and Cana, Maki made her way over to the two older wizards. The first was Macao Conbolt. His head was ringed with graying purple hair while the very top was bald. A thick gray moustache adorned his upper lip while wrinkles dug deep lines into his tan face. Across the table from him was his best friend Wakaba, a cigar dangling out of his mouth as he shuffled their ancient deck of cards.

"You think it's time we got a new deck?" Macao asked as he lounged in the booth.

"Nah, I like this one. It's lucky." Wakaba replied before coughing into his sleeve.

"You need to stop with the smoking buddy."

"It's how my magic works though!"

"You can barely use your magic as it is you old coot." Macao chuckled.

"Like you can do any better geezer."

Maki gulped as she drew herself up beside their table. These two old guys knew who her father was.

She never knew her father. Hell, she didn't even know his name. The few times she mustered the courage to ask her Aunt Meldy and Uncle Galen about him, they simply said he was a great and powerful wizard who died during the war. No name, no description, nothing. Just that brief explanation. It seemed like they thought it was a waste of time to tell their niece who her family was. So, she reasoned that if she'd never get answers from her immediate family, then she'd get them from these guys.

"Good morning Mr. Macao, Mr. Wakaba." She smiled.

Macao gazed up from his hand of cards and his eyes popped out of his skull. He smiled smoothly at her.

"Well _hello_ gorgeous." He grinned, "I don't believe I've seen you around here before."

Maki blinked. Was this old dude flirting with her.

 _GROSS!_ She thought. She was about to just place the beer down and walk away when she thought about it. He was flirting with her. She mentally grinned. Maybe her feminine wiles would work on this old geezer.

"Oh yes, Mr. Macao." She smiled, flashing her white teeth and revealing some sharp canines, "This is my first day on the job."

"Oh really?" Macao chuckled, "It's her first day, Wakaba."

"She's too young for you, old bastard." Wakaba mumbled as he puffed on his cigar.

"You're only saying that cause you're married!" Macao accused, stabbing a finger at his friend.

"And have been miserably married for the past forty years." He tossed a jewel into the center of the table, "You call?"

"Hang on. I want to talk to the lovely-"

"Maki." Maki replied.

Macao's face froze. His eyes widened as he stared at the black haired girl.

"Maki?"

A pit formed in her stomach.

"As in Maki Marvell?"

She gulped, "Y-yeah."

His eyes widened like saucers and his pupils shrank. Meanwhile, Wakaba was rolling in his seat, his eyes tearing up with laughter.

"Oh my god, Macao! Galen is going to kill you!"

"Don't tell him a word!"

"Tell him what?" Wakaba teased, "That you decided to flirt with his niece."

"Yeah that! Please for the love of everything good, don't tell him!"

Wakaba held out a hand while Maki glanced puzzled at the two old wizards.

"Everything comes at a price buddy."

"Oh c'mon!"

"Fork it over." Wakaba waved his hand.

Macao muttered curses under his breath as he dug into his coat pocket and slapped twenty jewel into Wakaba's waiting grasp. The smoke mage smirked and pocketed the cash before running a finger over his lips.

"They're sealed."

"Thank you!"

"I can still tell my Uncle Galen." Maki said, a new plan forming in her mind as she attempted to get these two to talk.

"DAMMIT!" Macao's head fell backwards and he uttered a long groan. He then reached into his pocket and withdrew and old beat up wallet, "How much kid?"

"No money." Maki replied as she set the cold mugs of beer down, "Just information."

"Information?"

"Kinana said you knew my father." Wakaba stopped gnawing on the end of his cigar. Macao's face lost a little of its tan color, "I want to know who he was, and what he was like."

Wakaba began to puff furiously on his cigar while Macao gulped.

"Your father was… a great and powerful wizard who died during the war." The purple haired man said quickly before quickly shuffling through his hand of cards.

Maki blinked. That was the exact same explanation she got from everyone else. And from the anxious glances she was getting from these two, she knew she wasn't going to get any other answer. But still, she had to try. Her arms folded over her flat chest.

"Fine then. Say hi to Uncle Galen when he comes over today. I'll make sure to tell him everything."

Macao paled, "Everything?"

Maki nodded maliciously, "Everything."

"What's worse Macao? His wrath over flirting with her? Or his wrath for telling her?" Wakaba asked.

"Both are equal." Macao groaned in defeat, "But… I'll take the flirt punishment."

Maki's eye twitched. Frustration bubbled to the surface and she scowled at the pair, "Fine." She growled, "Be like that!" And she stormed away.

As she walked away, she heard Wakaba exhale.

"That was a close one."

"Yeah," Macao said in a hushed tone while Maki took another table's order.

"She can't know. Not yet. She's not ready."

"Not until Luke comes back. I know. That's what we were told at least."

 _Luke?_

Was that the name of her father? How could he come back if he was dead? She scratched the name off the list of potential names for her father. A dead man coming back to life made no sense. This Luke character must also be an old friend of her father's. A friend she had never met, or even heard of.

"Let's forget about it for now." Wakaba advised quietly, "C'mon, drink your beer and at least try to beat me at this game for once."

"Oh hoh!" Macao laughed aloud, "I'll beat you… someday."

Maki sighed. She was so close. She had always been so curious about her parents. Her father had died before she was born. Her mother had disappeared when she was just two years old. Left on an S-class job and never returned. Apparently, there was no trace of her. Not even the guild's best trackers could locate her. It was as if she had vanished into thin air. That was when her Aunt Meldy and Uncle Galen took her in. And life had gone all downhill from there.

"They're characters aren't they?" Kinana chuckled as Maki returned to the bar.

"I don't like them. At all." Maki grumbled.

Kinana frowned, "I'm just going to advise you ahead of time. Smile, you'll get better tips that way."

"Don't care." Maki replied as she grabbed four mugs and strode away. She wished this day would just end already. It already completely sucked. And it was still only the morning.

 **And chapter! I kept this one a little short. An intro to our main characters sort of chapter. Or at least two of our main characters, Nashi Dragneel and Maki Marvell! Now the question is, what happened to Wendy? Why is Maki not allowed to learn about her father? And will she survive her first shift as a waitress? We'll find out soon won't we? Anyways, let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	3. Technically a Wizard

**Hello everyone! I apologize for the delay. I'm finding it more and more difficult to find the time to write during the week. But don't worry, I will continue to write this story as often as I can. I have too much fun doing this anyways. So, without further ado, here's chapter two. Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 2

Technically a Wizard

She had done it. Maki Marvell, the miss miserable of her family, had survived her first two weeks of work at the Fairy Tail guild hall. Those two weeks were some of the longest she had ever experienced in her life.

It wasn't that her boss was bad. Kinana was a genuinely amazing and kind person, the first Maki had ever seen in Fairy Tail. At least when it came to interacting with her. But her boss was equally as demanding. Maki was the only other server in the guild hall, which meant Kinana dumped mountains of work on her at all times so that the older woman could run the busy guild hall bar (Busy because the drunk lady Cana was a regular). She was able to do all of the work, but at the end of each day, she would be too tired to do anything else. All she was capable of doing was dragging herself home, taking her clothes off, then falling in her bed. After that, the routine was wake up, get dressed, go to work...wash, rinse, repeat.

Then there was the Guildhall customers. The majority were members of the Fairy Tail guild. Some were nice enough to her. They recognized she was new and cut her some slack as she struggled to get everything right about their food and drink orders. But they all still treated her with callous indifference. And she could tell they were doing it on purpose. Especially those old geezers, Macao and Wakaba. They were the main perpetrators. Of course, that was because Maki constantly pestered them with questions about her parents. And they were more than happy to answer the questions about her mother, Wendy. But any questions about her father, and it was instant shutdown. No answers, no more talking, they would just ignore her at that point. Eventually, young Maki gave up even trying.

And lastly there were the bullies at the guild hall. The Dash's and Rocko's. The one's who tortured her endlessly for being a complete failure as a wizard. And they would bully her even more for not being able to defend herself about it. How could she? She had a quick tongue, sure. Quicker than that idiot, Dash's. But she had no way of actually fighting them. What was she supposed to do? Throw punches while Dash used his speed magic to literally run circles around her? That would never end well. So, she just took the verbal abuse and moved on.

Though it did sting knowing that it was Nashi, the girl who was a full year younger than herself, that was defending her. Every time that little fire demon came strolling by the bullies quickly disappeared. Maki couldn't help but envy her 'friend'. She was a drop dead gorgeous person. Apparently, she got her looks from her mother and her brains from her father. At least that's what her favorite customers, Gray and Juvia Fullbuster, always said. And Nashi was just so… powerful. Maki was convinced that her flames could easily melt steel it the girl wanted it to. Nashi was also always taking job requests. Difficult job requests. A class, B class, jobs with rewards that made Maki's eyes bulge out of her skull. She already had a nickname among the press too. The Little Salamander. Whenever anyone called Nashi that, the pinkette would just smile and say thanks before going about her business. It was one of the few things she didn't get excited about. But she did smile about it. Maybe Nashi was just called that so often that she just got used to it.

Speaking of Nashi, that's who was currently bursting through the guild hall doors while Maki quietly wiped off one of the booths. The little fire dragon slayer came strutting in, wide grin on her face before plopping down in the newly wiped booth Maki was working on. The pinkette sucked in a large breath.

"Please don't, Nashi." Maki groaned.

"GOOOOOOOOD MORNING!" Nashi cheered happily to Maki, who simply grumbled and continued working.

Nashi frowned as Maki moved to the next table in the long line of booths. The fire dragon slayer rose from her seat and slid into the booth Maki was working on again.

"Why are so in such a bad mood today?"

Maki just glared at her.

"I mean c'mon Maki!" Nashi exclaimed, "It is a very special day."

"No it is not."

"Uh… yeah. It is." Nashi jumped up onto the table top and sat down, "You are officially sixteen years old!" Nashi squealed, "You need a sweet sixteen."

"No!" Maki barked.

"Oh c'mon! Stop being such a party pooper." Nashi said.

"First of all Nashi, a sweet sixteen involves a party." Maki pointed out, "Other than you, who exactly can I invite?"

"Well me of course." Nashi smiled, "Oh and…" her cheeks pinkened ever so slightly, "Maybe Storm?"

"I barely know the guy."

"Well if you just put yourself out there a little more then maybe you would know people." Nashi suggested while crossing her arms.

"Shut it." Maki snapped before continuing, "The second reason I will not have a sweet sixteen is because I have to work."

"Well… you don't _have_ to work." Nashi shrugged.

"If I wanna get far away from Earthland and Magnolia then yes, I do."

Nashi raised an eyebrow, "Why would you wanna do that?"

The black haired girl glanced up at Nashi as she wiped down the booth's seats, "Oh I don't know. Maybe it's because I hate it here. I'm constantly bullied. I have overbearing overprotective guardians. And I can't use magic to save my life." She sighed, "Earthland just isn't for me Nashi."

The pinkette blinked, "That's not exactly a reason."

"Yes it is idiot!"

"No, it's not. There's gotta be something a little more specific than that?" Nashi hummed to herself before snapping her fingers, "You want an adventure!"

"No!"

"Yes, you do!"

"DO NOT!"

"DO…. TOO!"

"You're a pest!" Maki snarled.

"And you're a stick in the mud." Nashi said while sticking her tongue out at Maki.

Nashi winced as she heard a shout from across the restaurant. Someone had just shouted for another drink. And Maki had to rush to go grab it.

"Give me a moment!" Maki called back angrily before throwing her cleaning rag over her shoulders, "Don't mess up my clean booths." she pointed at Nashi.

"I won't, I promise." Nashi smiled.

Maki sighed as some smoke began to appear in front of her face, "You're burning the wood."

"GAH!"

While Nashi frantically attempted to put out the small fire she had accidentally started, and while Maki was rushing back and forth from the tables to the bar, a white haired woman wearing a long maroon dress stood on the second floor balcony, overseeing the rest of the guild hall. She smiled as she watched Nashi Dragneel and Maki Marvell's antics. Those two were total opposites. Yet they constantly hung out with each other. The cheerful ray of sunshine, Nashi, and the gloomy storm cloud Maki. The definition of a strange friendship. It reminded her a lot of Nashi's father and his friendship with Gray. In the way that opposites seemed to attract in a very amusing way.

Footsteps slowly came up behind her followed by a man with spiky blonde hair, headphones around his neck, and a large lightning bolt shaped scar along right side of his face. He leaned up against the stone railing and smirked at her.

"Hm, looking thoughtfully over the guild and it's members?" Laxus commented as the woman glanced over at him, "You definitely act the part of guild master now don't you?"

The woman chuckled, "I have been doing this for nearly sixteen years now, Laxus. I should be able to act the part, right?"

"Definitely, Mira." Laxus replied before following her gaze down to Nashi who was now following Maki around, "Maki and Nashi?"

"Yup." Mira nodded.

"Craziness about to happen?"

"If Nashi continues to pester Maki then most likely yes." Mira smiled, "Those two though… I never would've guessed they'd become close friends."

"Well, their fathers were good friends. Maybe it's in their blood."

"Or the force as he would say." Mira replied.

"Yeah." Laxus backed away from the railing, "So… today's the day right?"

Mira blinked, "Oh right!" She sheepishly smiled at Laxus, "I almost forgot!" The guild master then frantically rushed over to her office with the lightning wizard slowly following her.

"How could you forget something this important?"

"You know," Mira replied as she dug into her desk and began to fling papers around her cluttered office, "Being guild master of the largest guild in Fiore can be a little overwhelming. It makes things difficult to remember."

Laxus raised an eyebrow as he saw an old edition of sorcerer's weekly tossed across the room, "Perhaps you should get organized? You know, write stuff down."

"No time!" Mira replied.

"But you have time to go to the spa weekly?"

Mira glared at Laxus, forcing his mouth to quickly snap shut.

"It takes a lot of work to stay this beautiful Laxus." Mira growled as she opened another drawer, "And those spa trips are very important to that process."

"S-sure whatever you say." He replied while nervously scratching the back of his neck.

"AHA!" Mira shouted triumphantly after tossing a few more folders out of her desk. Her delicate hands quickly yanked a large rolled up paper from her desk, "Found it! The list of candidates!"

"About time." Laxus grinned, "How many this year?"

"Hm." Mira unrolled the paper and glanced at the names written on it, "Only five this year."

"Only five?"

"Well it's not like Cana is going to actually go for it this year." Mira replied.

Laxus nodded, "Yeah… she'd rather stay here than go through that formality. So you just took her name out of the running?"

"Uhuh."

"She may take offense to that."

"Good." Mira replied as she slammed her desk drawers shut, "It may give her some motivation to actually try again."

Laxus smiled, "There's always another purpose for everything you do isn't there?"

Mira grinned back as she approached the lightning wizard, "Only occasionally." She then tapped his chest with the rolled up paper, "C'mon, we gotta do the announcement."

"We?"

"Uh yeah." Mira opened her office door, "As per tradition, the other S-class wizards help out."

"But all of us aren't even here."

"The others will be back eventually. I sent them messages last week. They'll be finishing up their jobs and coming back for the trials." Mira shut her door behind them.

"That's good to hear." Laxus smiled, "It's gonna be good to see the others again."

"Yeah." Mira's eyes then widened and her pupils shrank, "Oh the damage they're going to cause…" She whispered fearfully.

Laxus laughed aloud, "Only Natsu and Gajeel would strike that much fear in you."

"The brawls will be tremendous."

"Just like old times." Laxus reminded.

"Exactly like old times." Mira groaned as she walked towards the stage at the far end of the guild hall, "And just as expensive too." She rubbed her forehead, "Now I know how your grandfather must've felt."

"Careful, stress out too much and you may get wrinkles." Laxus teased.

"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" Mira shouted.

Laxus continued to chuckle as he waved for her to get up on stage and make the announcement. As Mira walked up onto the stage, the guild hall instantly became quiet and all eyes turned to her. The white haired guild master smiled and waved, her blue eyes sparkling as she stared out at her guild.

"Can I have everyone's attention please!?"

….

Maki was confused. The guild hall was rowdy as it normally was just a moment ago. All of a sudden, the guild master strode up onto the main stage and everyone went super quiet. It was almost unnerving how quiet the guild hall became. The sound of silence in this building was not something she was used to. What was even more scary, was how quiet Nashi had become. The pinkette had stopped jabbering to Maki and had quickly sat down.

"Uh, Nashi? What's going on?"

Nashi's hand shot out and grabbed Maki's sleeve. Her strong arm then yanked the gloomy girl down to sit beside her.

"SHHHH!" Nashi hissed, "Master Mira is about to announce it."

"Announce what?"

Mirajane Strauss, the seventh guild master of Fairy Tail, cleared her throat and smiled at the gathered wizards, "I know the other S-class wizards aren't here yet. But would those present please come up on stage."

Maki glanced confused as she saw some of the adults get up from their seats and join Master Mira on stage. The first was a muscular man with spiky blonde hair. He wore a purple, long sleeved dress shirt and dark slacks. The next was a younger man with dark purple hair and black eyes. He wore an outfit similar to Nashi's. Except his waistcoat was cherry red, not jet black, and it was trimmed with white not gold. A white sash was wrapped around his waist while a yellow scarf hung loosely around his neck. The third wizard to walk up on stage was one of Maki's favorite customers. He was a very athletic man with dark spiky hair. The only clothing on his body was a pair of blue boxers. Meanwhile, a cigarette hung loosely from his lips. Finally, there was a very petite woman with bright blue hair. Red glasses sat on the bridge of her nose and she clutched a large book in the crook of her right arm.

"As I previously said, we are missing a few." Master Mira noted, "But this will do for now. So, without further delay it is time for us to announce the candidates for this year's S-Class exams!"

The silence was shattered by a loud cheer that made both Maki and Nashi's sensitive ears ring. Mira quickly raised her hands to silence the crowd.

"Before we announce the names, we will be announcing how the S-Class Exams will be conducted this year. Levy, will you do the honors."

The petite woman with red glasses stepped forward, a large smile on her face.

"Hi everyone!" She waved, "So… this year's S-Class Exams is rather unique to say the least. Normally, we would take the participants to a remote location and put them through a set of trials. But this year, we're going to try something different.

There is a member of our guild. A very powerful wizard who uses a very difficult type of magic to master and control. And he tends to be out on a mission for decades at a time. Well, Master Mira wants him found. So that will be the exam for this year. The participants will be tasked with hunting down and capturing Gildarts Clive."

There was silence in the guild hall. Maki had been bracing herself for cheers but the silence seemed far more painful than any sort of noise she could've heard. Everyone seemed to be looking at Master Mira like she was absolutely insane. Especially Miss Cana, whose jaw was hanging open as she carefully balanced a barrel of alcohol on her lap.

"Does everyone understand the mission?" Levy asked.

"There won't be anyone making S-class this year!" Macao muttered near Maki and Nashi.

"You can say that again buddy." Wakaba gaped.

"Alright good!" Levy nodded, "Mira, the canditates."

"Right!" Master Mira unfurled a rolled up sheet of paper, "There are only five candidates for S-class this year. But let it be known, that I am so proud of everyone in this guild for how hard they worked this year. Every single one of you is an amazing wizard and I am proud to have you all in the guild."

Cheers rang out across the crowd.

"Now then, for the names."

Maki blinked as she felt Nashi's hand tightly grip her own.

"Dash!"

Maki scowled as she the orange haired bully arrogantly stride up onto the stage, wide grin on his face while others in the crowd cheered for him.

"Ellen Redfox!"

From the corner of the guildhall, Maki saw a small girl with long black hair and pale skill come shuffling up onto the stage. There was far less bravado in her approach than Dash's. She stared at he feet and tightly clenched a book to her chest while her dark hair hid her face.

 _She doesn't look like much._ Maki thought.

"Asuka Connell!"

A young woman wearing a large brown cowboy hat, a tan poncho and leather pants strod up on stage. Strapped to her back was an old looking rifle. In the background, Maki could hear another woman loudly cheering. She glanced back and saw what had to be the girl's mother. A woman with lime green hair and wearing a black cowboy hat.

 _Weird family._

"Storm Fullbuster!"

Up on stage, Maki saw Gray Fullbuster crack a wide smile as a teen with dark blue hair and dark eyes strode up on stage. Gray quickly embraced his son and pat him on the back before allowing the boy to turn and face the crowd.

"That's four." Nashi gulped before squeezing Maki's hand so tightly she thought her bones would break, "Please be me." Nashi whispered to herself, "Please be me."

"And last but certainly not least." Mira said loudly as she looked at the paper, a wide smile on her lips, "Nashi Dragneel!"

"YEEEEEEES!" Nashi cried as she pumped her fist into the air. She then quickly hugged a startled Maki before rushing up on stage.

She ended up standing beside Storm Fullbuster. The two glanced at each other and nervously smiled before quickly tearing their gazes away, a slight tinge of pink on both of their cheeks. A color change that only Maki could really notice thanks to her enhanced dragon sight.

 _At least I got one gift from my parents._ She thought before smiled slyly, _I'll have to ask Nashi about her small blush when around Storm Fullbuster._ She laughed maniacally in her head while the ceremony continued.

"THIS IS FUCKING STUPID!" Everyone heard Cana growl as she marched up onto the stage, "I know you planned this Mira." She crossed her arms as she stood beside Nashi, "I know you did."

Mira smirked wryly, "Alright then, we have six candidates this year. Thank you for coming around Cana."

"It's not like these other kids have a chance of catching my old man." She smiled mischievously, "I have a very distinct advantage this year."

Behind her, Laxus sighed and shook his head. Mira took Cana's statement in stride.

"Well then, it should be fun for you to know that you will be competing against this bunch of kids. As in fighting them while searching for Gildarts." Cana's eyes narrowed at Mira, "So that should be fun."

"Oh yes…" A threatening spark entered Cana's eyes as she looked at Nashi and the others, "It's going to be loads of fun."

"Move on Mira." Laxus quietly hissed.

"Huh, oh right!" Mira looked back at the crowd, "As per tradition, each candidate may choose someone to help them in their exam. Just so long as that person isn't an S-class wizard and is a member of the guild. A partner. So...everyone, choose."

Maki's nemesis, Dash was the first to make his pick. He instantly chose a kid named Rocko, a very fat teen with greasy blond hair. But his appearances were very deceiving. Rocko was a strong wizard who, as the name suggested, used rock magic. It made him a powerhouse in battle. Able to take devastating hits while delivering damaging blunt force trauma. Combined with Dash's ridiculous speed, and it made for a very dangerous combination.

After that, Maki zoned out. None of this concerned her anyways. She stuck around for Nashi. She was her friend after all. Or as close to a person could get to being her friend as one could. And she was happy for Nashi. The girl had always talked about how she was going to make S-class. How she was going to become the greatest wizard the guild had ever seen. Even greater than her father, the legendary Salamander. Maki would be there to cheer her on, in her own way of course. She would never be openly thrilled in front of Nashi. That would just make the Fire Dragon Slayer pester her even more.

"Maki Marvell!" Nashi suddenly shouted with a smile.

Maki wasn't paying attention. Her gaze shot over to Nashi up on stage and she gave the pinkette a puzzled glance. Then she heard Dash and Rocko laughing out loud.

"She chose No Magic Maki!" Dash roared, "Yeah, you won't be making S-class this year Nashi."

Nashi bared her fangs at Dash, "How about I settle this now and put you in the hospital!" She lit a fist aflame.

Maki stared up at the others on stage. Fear filled her body. Did she just hear what she think she just did. Did Nashi Dragneel, idiotic, boneheaded, Nashi Dragneel, choose her to be her partner in the S-class exams? Maki gulped as she felt everyone staring at her. Mira looked down at he from stage.

"Maki? Are you ok?"

"Uh. Uh. Uh." Maki sputtered fearfully, her entire body trembling as she stood completely still. Frozen in place.

"C'mon Maki!" Nashi smiled, "Get up here."

Her legs moved on their own. Her brain was screaming for her to stop moving, but move she did. Right up onto the stage beside Nashi and Storm. Maki's hazel eyes looked fearfully around her. She couldn't do this. She had no magic. How in the world was she supposed to help track down a super powerful wizard when she couldn't do magic?

 _I'm in over my head!_

 __"Congratulations everyone!" Mira smiled, "The exams will take place one month from now. So be prepared!"

And just like that, the ceremony ended. As everyone exited the stage, Nashi gripped Maki's limp hands and smiled happily at her.

"Happy Birthday Maki!" She grinned.

"W-what?" Maki stammered as the two stepped off of the stage.

"I said happy birthday!" Nashi repeated, "This is my present to you! You want to go on an adventure right? Well what better adventure than traveling across Fiore looking for some guy named Gildarts!" Nashi gripped Makis' shoulders, "It's going to be so much fun! I mean, I know it's not like getting away from Earthland and all. But it's still an adventure and we get to do it together!"

Maki looked at Nashi with malice.

"WHY DID YOU DO THIS!" Maki shouted angrily.

Nashi raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding why Maki was mad.

"I don't have any magic!" Maki exclaimed while they stood beside the stage, no one else noticing their argument, "I will be useless! And you've only managed to make me a bigger target for Dash and the others!"

"Or…" Nashi started, "Or, if you help me win, you prove to them that you aren't someone to mess with."

"That's not how this works!" Maki shouted, waving her arms angrily.

"Uh yeah, it is." Nashi wrapped an arm around Maki's shoulders, "Don't worry Maki. We got this! I can help you out! We can practice and plan at my house! Yeah! We should start today! Like right now!"

Nashi grabbed Maki by the arm and raced out the guildhall, dragging Maki with her.

"W-wait! I have to work!"

"No you don't! Not anymore!" Nashi smiled back at Maki, "You're technically a wizard now!"

Maki's eyes widened. That's right, she had taken a guild job. She was technically a wizard now. Nashi had found a loophole in life and made her a wizard. In her mind Maki could think of only two ways this would all end. Either they would come out triumphant or this would end up being the ultimate disaster. But no matter what, Maki had a very bad feeling about this.

….

"I didn't know you lived out here." Maki said as she followed Nashi through the woods towards a large cottage that rested in a forest clearing.

Nashi nodded, "Yup. My Dad built this cottage originally. It only had one bedroom when he built it. But when me and my mom came along, he got the others in the guild to help him make it bigger."

"Its huge!" Maki exclaimed, "It's like a mansion."

Indeed, it practically was a mansion. The cottage was two stories high and sprawled out around the clearing. Dozens of windows lined the walls. Meanwhile, about a hundred yards away, was a concrete slab randomly placed in the grass.

"What's that concrete for?" Maki asked.

"In case any ships wanna land here." Nashi replied nonchalantly as she opened the front door.

"Ships?"

"Yeah. You know what my mom does right?"

Maki didn't reply at first. She could only stare in awe at the inside of the house. The place was impeccably clean. There wasn't even a speck of dust on the white tile floors. Above her head was a large crystal chandelier that shimmered as the sunlight streamed through the large windows. In front of them was a large staircase. But they didn't go towards the stairs. Instead, Maki took Nashi right, down a hallway, and into the massive kitchen.

Maki's jaw dropped at the sight. The counter tops were made of some of the most expensive granite Maki had ever seen. The cabinets were made of a gorgeous cherry colored wood that seemed to shine like it had been freshly polished. The tile floors shimmered to the point where Maki thought she could see her reflection in them. Then Nashi opened the pantry. Inside was a collection of food that Maki thought was endless. Chips, cookies, juice, crackers, cakes, canned food, you name it and it was in that pantry. Nashi quickly grabbed an apple and bit into it before taking a seat at the island breakfast bar. Maki slowly followed her to a chair.

"W-what exactly does your mom do again?" Maki asked.

"Well," Nashi said in between apple bites, "She writes books for one. That's how we got this place. She's also a guild wizard."

Maki blinked, "She is!?"

Nashi nodded, "But she hardly has time to be at the guild with her other job."

"Other job? She has a third!?" Maki exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's way more important than the other two." Nashi leaned towards Maki's ear, "My Mom is the Earthland representative in the Galactic Republic."

Maki's jaw fell open. She had heard stories from her Uncle Galen and Aunt Meldy about the rest pf the galaxy. Of planets with environments and people so diverse it was impossible to describe it all. Of armies with ships that spanned hundreds of miles. Of great space warriors with magic swords who fought evil space wizards with red blades. They were some of her favorites stories when she was young. They still were some of her favorite stories. It made her want to leave Earthland and explore. To wander the galaxy and discover new, exciting things. To hear that the mother of her one friend was the Earthland representative of the Galactic Republic was like hearing she was in the house of her favorite rock star.

"No way!" Maki breathed.

"Yeah way!"

"So, is she like on some other planet right now or something?" Maki asked, thoroughly captured in learning more about Nashi's mom.

Nashi shook her head, "No, she has an assistant who works on Coruscant. My mom made an arrangement with the chancellor that allows her to stay here and look after me. Ya know, since my dad is constantly on some sort of job for the guild."

"That's so cool!" Maki exclaimed with an excited smile.

"Yeah it is!" Nashi replied a little less enthusiastically than Maki, "Changing subjects, we need to figure out how to find Gildarts Clive."

"Oh… yeah." Maki stated, her excitement running out.

"And, we need to get you strong enough to compete."

"Nashi, I don't have any magic. I won't be any help."

"Nonsense!" Nashi exclaimed, "Do you know how many times my mom told me stories of people from other planets with no magic that helped change the universe! We can do this! But we need to train."

Maki gulped, "Train. As in-

"Exercise." Nashi smiled, "Yup! It's gonna be fun!"

"Kill me now." Maki groaned as Nashi dragged her back outside.

"You can't say that now." Nashi replied, "That comes later. After every muscle feels like lead."

Maki let out a desperate cry for help as she flopped down in the grass outside of Nashi's house.

"Ready to begin?"

"No." Maki replied.

"Well too bad! Because we're going to do this!" Nashi took a deep breath and dropped to her hands, "First, pushups."

"No."

"Come on!"

"No.

"Please." Nashi pleaded, her eyes getting wider and her lips pouting.

Maki stared at her then let out a disgusted sigh, "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"That's the spirit!" Nashi replied as the two began to do push ups, with Maki doing one for every five Nashi did, "Isn't this the best birthday present ever!?"

Maki stared at her beaming friend. Her muscles were already screaming at her and she had only just started.

"Um… sure."

"Great! And get ready, because we got a five hour work out ahead of us. Then we start magic training."

Maki's eyes widened. She felt like crying out. Screaming in frustration. But in the end she only sighed and resigned herself to her fate. She wanted an adventure, and now she was getting one. It was an important lesson for her. Be very careful what you wish for.

 **And chapter! The first few chapters of this story are going to be a bit slower. I am creating brand new characters and I want to develop them for you guys. Give them a personality and make them unique and fun. I hope I'm doing a good job so far. Anyways, let me know what you guys think. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	4. The Enchantress

**TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY! Because why the heck not! Enjoy everyone!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 3

The Enchantress

Maki squeezed her eyes tightly shut and exhaled.

"That's it." Nashi whispered with anticipation, "You can do it Maki. Feel it, breathe it, be one with it."

Maki opened her eyes and stared straight into the eyes of the dog at her feet. It was a chocolate lab, the second family pet of the Dragneel family. According to Nashi, it was her mother's pet. Meanwhile her father had a blue cat. Maki had never heard of a cat being blue before. But then again, this was Nashi's family. If they were related to Nashi, then they had to be at least a little strange. Then again, Maki was currently having a staring contest with a panting chocolate Labrador.

 _Maybe I'm the strange one._

"Shouldn't we be planning Nashi?" Maki asked as she gazed into the labs dark eyes.

"Planning for what?"

"Uh, finding Gildarts Clive."

Nashi lounged on the living room couch and sighed, "Maybe. But," She pointed out the windows. Maki followed her finger to see the water covered windows. "It's raining."

A clap of thunder made the labrador blink. Maki smirked.

"I win again, Igneel."

She then leaned back in her chair and sighed. Today was a complete wash. Literally. They were outside training for the sixth day in a row when the storm clouds rolled in and forced them to run inside. Now all they could do was sit indoors and listen to the rain patter against the windows while thunder shook the house. But Maki could never be more bored than Nashi currently was. The girl lived for adventure and the outdoors. She was hardly ever indoors at the guildhall, always preferring to be out in the training yard, out on a job, or just outdoors in general. To Nashi, being stuck indoors was the equivalent of putting out her fire.

"Can't we plan indoors?" Maki asked.

"With what?" Nashi replied, "Seriously. I mean, I may not be as smart as you, but I know we can't do any sort of planning right now. We don't know anything about this Gildarts guy. We only know his name. And the adults refuse to tell us anything. Part of the challenge apparently. Which means we can only plan by um… synchronizing our fighting styles."

Maki raised an eyebrow, "That's incredibly well thought out for you."

Nashi shrugged, "I have my moments."

Both of their ears perked up when they heard the front door creak open then slam shut. The clicking sounds of high heels tapping against the tile floors of the foyer filled their enhanced ears. Then they could hear the exhausted breaths of Nashi's mom as she entered the living room.

Maki still couldn't believe how beautiful Nashi's mom was. She had only met the lady a couple days ago, but for being in her mid thirties she was gorgeous. Maki could clearly see why Mr. Fullbuster said Nashi got her looks from her mom. It was so obvious. The curvy hips, tight waist, flat stomach and generous chest were totally given to Nashi from her Mom. Just not the hair or eyes. While Mrs. Dragneel had blonde hair and brown eyes, Nashi had her father's bright pink hair with his dark onyx eyes.

Nashi was about to say hello to her mom when both Maki and Nashi heard a buzzing come from her purse. Lucy Heartfilia mumbled a curse before digging out a strange, disc shaped device from her purse. She quickly brushed some of her soaked hair out of her face and clicked a button on the side of the disk. Maki's eyes widened as a blue miniature figure appeared out of thin air.

"Yes Nancy." Lucy asked wearily.

" _I'm so sorry to bother you at this time ma'am. But we do have a problem."_

Lucy groaned, "Please don't tell me it's another border dispute."

The hologram pursed her lips, " _It is ma'am."_

Lucy sighed and shook her head, "I'll head for my office here. Just give me a moment." As she walked out the living room, Maki saw Nashi's wide grin fade ever so slightly. Enough to make Maki worry a little.

"You ok?"

Nashi nodded, "Yeah." her usual smile returned, "Mom's just busy, that's all." She exhaled, "Always busy."

Maki nodded, "Well, being as important to the galaxy as she is I'm sure she has to be busy."

"Yeah." Nashi replied, a little gloom in her voice. Her head fell back against the couch cushions, "SOOO BORED!"

Maki sighed, "Well... do you wanna go out in the rain."

Nashi frowned, "My fire doesn't work if it's raining this hard. Can't get it going hot enough."

"But we can still train a little bit, right?"

Training would help get Nashi back up and going. It always did. And Maki was beginning to enjoy it a little too. She did feel incredibly sore almost every morning. But as the training progressed during the week, she also felt like she had more energy. It was a welcome change.

Nashi blinked, "That's not a bad idea. I mean, we could go for a run or something? Might feel good doing that in the rain."

Maki smiled, "See, that's the spirit!" she jumped to her feet at the same time as Nashi.

"I'm the one that's supposed to say that, remember!?"

"Well maybe you're rubbing off on me a little bit."

"It's about time I did, miserable Maki." Nashi teased as they got to the door, "MOM! ME AND MAKI ARE GOING FOR A RUN!"

No response. They waited a couple moments and could hear loud, angry shouting coming from Mrs. Dragneel's office.

Maki gulped. "Your mom's got a temper."

"Only if you test her."

Maki glanced at Nashi as they stepped out the door, "Are you speaking from experience."

"Absolutely." Nashi nodded as she stretched her thighs and calves.

Maki did the same then rolled her shoulders, "You ready?"

"Heck yeah! Same trail in the forest?"

"Why not. Besides there will be puddles."

"Oooooh puddle jumping!" Nashi exclaimed excitedly.

Maki snorted out a small laugh, "You are so immature."

Then they started. At first, the pair were keeping pace with each other. Their feet sloshing through the muddy forest trail as they raced through the pouring rain. It felt good. Maki had never felt this good running before. The rain cooled her off, gave her an extra burst of energy that she had no idea existed. Normally, after about a half mile, Nashi would pull out ahead of her and disappear into the distance. But today Maki was able to keep up for longer than that. At the one mile mark of their run came the most dreaded part of their race. The hill of death as they called it. A steep thirty degree incline that jutted up into the sky for a quarter mile. This is where Nashi left Maki in the dust. The dragon slayer's powerful body accelerated out ahead while Maki's still out of shape form slogged to a halt halfway up the hill. When Nashi was out of sigh, Maki stopped running and put her hands on her hips. Her chest heaved in and out as she attempted to catch her breath.

"I hate this hill." She grumbled before simply walking up it, slipping every so often as the mud became more like a brown river flowing against her movements, "Hate it!"

At the very top of the hill was an old property of the Fairy Tail guild. A run down, beat up farmhouse. From stories Maki heard, it was the guild hall for Fairy Tail during what was called the Tenrou years. A seven year period where all of the guild's strongest wizards completely disappeared and were assumed dead. The only exception to that was her mother, Wendy Marvell.

When she reached the top of the hill, she expected to see Nashi waiting for her there. That's what always happened after all. Nashi would leave her behind around the half mile mark of their run then wait for her at the farm. They both would take a quick breather before continuing down the hill towards Magnolia.

But this time, Nashi was not waiting there when Maki reached the top. No one was there in fact. The only sound Maki heard was the tapping of rain hitting the rotting wooden roof of the farm as well as the creaking of the old barn doors.

 _Where did you go?_ Maki thought before frowning, _Did she leave me completely behind!_

Maki sniffed the air and blinked. Nashi didn't leave her behind. Her scent was still here, just off into the forest behind the barn. Maki raised an eyebrow. Why would Nashi go there? A sly grin spread across her lips. This was the perfect opportunity to sneak up on Nashi and scare her. The image of the fearsome Nashi Dragneel screaming in fear was too enticing for Maki.

She slowly crept along the edges of the barn, being very careful not to slosh in the mud too much. If she did, Nashi would no doubt hear her. Maki reached the corner and peeked around. There she was. Staring blankly off into the woods. Maki grinned ear to ear. She doesn't know. She didn't hear her.

 _Gotcha!_

Maki jumped towards Nashi.

Suddenly Nashi's hand reached out and snagged Maki's arm. The girl then jerked her against the wall so violently that it made Maki's head spin.

"Don't make a sound." Nashi hissed before staring into the woods again.

"The hell was that for!?" Maki snarled.

"First, for trying to sneak up on me."

"How did you-"

"Second," Nashi let go of Maki and turned back towards the woods. A blissful sigh escaped the pinkette's lips. Maki followed her gaze.

Standing in the woods, the rain falling in sheets all around him, was a young man with dark blue hair and dark eyes. His hands sat nestled in his jean pockets while his white collared shirt hung from a tree branch, revealing rippling muscles that stunned Maki. She then noticed the pink blush on Nashi's cheeks.

"Oh." Maki mumbled before her eyes widened in realization, "OH!" She smirked at Nashi, "Stalking your crush huh?"

"Wah!" Nashi cried in a hushed tone, "Am not! I just saw him there and-"

Maki looked at Nashi, not believing a single word the pinkette was saying.

"I'm spying."

"I thought so."

"To see how strong he is for the S-class exams." Nashi finished.

Maki raised an eyebrow before softly laughing, "Yeah… sure. Seeing how _strong_ he is."

"Are you teasing me or something?"

"You're just figuring that out now?"

Nashi glared at Maki before returning to look at Storm Fullbuster. A long sigh escaped Nashi's lips before she sank down to the wet ground and sat up against the barn wall. A thought occurred to Maki as she sat down beside her friend.

"What is he doing all the way out here?"

Nashi shrugged, "It's made my day either way."

They watched as Storm took his hands out of his pockets and shifted his feet into a horse stance. He then cupped his right hand with his left and brought them to his hip. Nashi's eyes widened.

"I know why now!?" she exclaimed quietly.

"Please tell. I don't exactly know the guy." Maki implored.

"He's practicing."

"In the rain?"

Nashi nodded, "Definitely. It's perfect for his magic."

"And that would be?"

Nashi pointed at Storm. Maki's eyes widened as she watched water gather around Storm's hands. His muscles tensed in his legs, as if he was about to leap into the air. His arms flexed and his chest squeezed tightly, making Nashi's cheeks turn a deep shade of red.

" **Water Make: Daggers!"**

Storm thrust his hands forward, the water gathering around him sharpened into dozens of sharp daggers. They raced through the air towards the tree, getting larger as raindrops hit them. The spell hit the tree with incredible force. Maki stared, jaw hanging open, as the water daggers slashed through a thick oak tree, toppling the mighty tree with a single clean slice. When the spell ended, Storm relaxed, exhaling as his muscles released their tension.

"W-wow." Maki stammered.

"You can say that again." Nashi sighed dreamily.

Maki gulped, "And we are supposed to compete against that?"

"Don't worry." Nashi replied, "I can beat him."

Maki raised an eyebrow, "Um Nashi, I hate to break it to you but… you use fire magic. He uses water magic." Nashi's eyes widened in sudden realization, "He's got you beat on an elemental level."

"Uh… oh." Nashi muttered before looking at Maki, "We need to get back home."

"Why?" Maki asked, "I thought you were busy taking in the view."

"Not funny Maki." Nashi growled. A sound that was incredibly strange coming from the normally peppy dragon slayer, "I want to make S-class. I _need_ to make S-class. And even though he's competing against us, I won't let him win over me!"

Maki nodded slowly, "So...what's the plan then?"

"Well, I can't fight him. His water magic will put out my fire magic. I mean… I could go hot enough to vaporize his water, but I can't sustain that." Nashi explained, "So… in order to beat someone like him, we need a second power."

Maki narrowed her eyes, "What are you getting at?"

Nashi clutched Maki's shoulders, "You are the daughter of a dragon slayer, just like me. Maybe the reason you haven't unlocked your magic power, is because you haven't had the right teacher."

Maki blinked then let out a disappointed sigh, "I wish that was the case Nashi."

"I'm sure it is. There is no way someone like you would be without magic. No way at all!" Nashi rose to her feet, took one last glance at the intensely training Storm before walking away with Maki, "We need to get back. Because I'm going to help you unlock your magic."

….

The rain was lovely. A great way to cool off during these hot summer months. The woman couldn't complain about it at all. She had even taken her hat off for this. To feel the cold touch of raindrops on her face was always a refreshing sensation. Though, it didn't do her long red hair any good. Strands were already beginning to fray out of the two thick braids she kept it in. But other than that, there was no reason to complain. Rainy days were good days in Irene Belserion's opinion. They at least kept her from having to use her magic to avoid sunburn.

As she stood quietly atop a hill, she heard two sets of footsteps come up beside her.

The first set belonged to a young girl with bright orange hair that hung in straight bangs over her forehead while the rest was pulled up into twin ponytails, held up by brown bows. A white fur coat hung over her shoulders and was buttoned tightly over her small body while her legs were covered by a golden frilled skirt and white, fluffy boots. A playful smile was etched on her face as she smiled up at the storm clouds.

On the other side of Irene, stood a slim young woman with sharp eyes and long black hair. A navy blue bandanna held her long hair out of her face. Around her shoulders was a blue, zebra patterned cloak with a crescent moon design on the back. Unlike the first girl, this one carried a very serious demeanor. Her expression was indifferent towards the rain. She was more focused on what was happening below the storm clouds. Just like her master, she was focused on the two young teens out in the yard of the Dragneel residence.

"You can do it Maki, just concentrate." All three heard young Nashi Dragneel encourage.

They all watched with bated breath as Maki struggled then collapsed.

"It's impossible!" Maki screamed.

The girl with black hair clicked her tongue, "It appears your fears were true, Lady Irene."

"Or… maybe um…" The other girl started, struggling to find the proper words, "Maybe she's trying to learn the wrong magic."

"You can't learn magic if you don't have any to being with." Her friend chastised.

"Heine…" Irene glanced at the black haired girl, "Juliet," her eyes briefly looked at the orange haired girl, "Be nice to each other. Also Heine, you are very wrong. There is no such thing as an absence of magic. Everything has magic, it's just a matter of learning to tap into it."

Heine Lunasea frowned, "Well then, can you explain how Maki Marvell is not a capable wizard at the age of fifteen?"

"She's right, Lady Irene." Juliet commented, "Her mom was already super powerful by the time she was twelve. And don't get me started on her father."

"I'm well aware you two. Trust me I am." Irene replied as she leaned lazily against her staff, "But you seem to forget, is that Wendy Marvell was personally trained by a very powerful dragon. Maki Marvell has no such luxury."

Heine Lunasea shrugged, "That's a fair point I suppose."

"An excellent point, Lady Irene!" Juliet Sun declared with an emphatic nod.

Irene did not reply. Instead she continued to observe. As she has done for sixteen years now. She hadn't left Ishgar for over sixteen years. Always remaining close to Maki Marvell and making sure that no harm came to her. She especially made sure to stay close after the incident fourteen years ago. The incident that came as a result of Irene taking her eyes away from the Marvell family for just one day. In that one day, Maki lost her Mom. The Sky Dragon Slayer had vanished from the face of the planet. After that day, and the punishment she received from her emperor for her grievous error, Irene had devoted her entire existence to watching over Maki Marvell.

As she watched the child grow up, she found herself slowly growing fond of the girl. She had no idea why. There was something about her that just seemed… familiar. Like she was not only a member of the Marvell family, but a member of Irene's as well. She couldn't put her finger on why she felt that way. Maybe it was just because she had spent so long in close proximity to the girl. After all, she knew everything about Maki Marvell. She knew her likes and dislikes, what her favorite food is, what her favorite activity is, how she likes her steak cooked, what she fears, what she hates, and what she loves. But simply observing Maki could get boring. There were some days, where the girl did nothing but sit in her room all day like a young hermit.

But, on days like today, Maki was an interesting subject. The girl was desperate to learn magic, to finally tap into the power that not only Irene sensed, but her Emperor absolutely sensed. It simmered deep beneath the surface. Like a spring that needed to be drilled into before bursting to the surface. Once the pressure was released, there would be no stopping the power Maki could obtain.

If she could only unlock it. And judging from her angered and frustrated cries, the girl was getting nowhere at all.

"Don't get so mad at me!" Nashi Dragneel cried.

"It's not working!" Maki shouted angrily before bashing a fist into the mud, "Why!? Why can't I-" Her head bowed and her shoulders began to shudder, "Why am I so weak?" she said much more quietly.

 _Oh child… if you only knew the strength you have waiting to be used._ Irene thought.

The woman glanced up at the sky and saw it darkening. The sun was beginning to set, but the storm still lingered. Her brown eyes returned to the two girls in the yard.

"I guess we can try again tomorrow." Nashi Dragneel suggested.

"D-don't bother." Maki sniffled as she got to her feet, "You need someone better than me to help you Nashi."

"Don't say that. This is my birthday present to you."

"And I'm holding you back! Face it Nashi, you were wrong!" The pinkette's face dropped, "I'm not a wizard! I never will be!" Fury continued to build in Maki's voice. And the angrier she got, the more pressure Irene could feel building the air. Her two servants clearly felt is as well. They shifted anxiously beside her.

"My lady, we will return to our normal forms." Heine commented quietly.

"Yeah, everything just feels weird all of a sudden." Juliet mumbled.

"Do what you must. I don't want you uncomfortable." Irene replied before the two girls shimmered and transformed into two swords. Heine an archaic, jagged, black blade. And Juliet, an elegantly designed white sword with an intricate pattern etched into the hilt. The two blades then requipped themselves away, leaving Irene along atop the hill.

"I'm not giving up Maki." Nashi told Maki while Irene silently watched, "And you shouldn't either." Nashi glanced up at the sky and saw it darkening, "But I do think it's time we called it a day. After all, it's getting late. Your aunt and uncle will be wondering where you are at."

Maki sniffled and rubbed a tear from her eye, "Yeah, they will be worried." She got to her feet, "Goodnight Nashi."

"Later Maki!" Nashi grinned before retreating into her house.

The large doors to the Dragneel residence closed and locked. Maki sighed and bowed her head, feeling the rain spatter against her long hair.

Nashi was just wrong. Maki knew it. She couldn't feel any magic in her. None at all. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how perfectly she followed Nashi's suggestions, no power came out of her. She was an empty shell, void of any powers. The thought made her sick. She grew up around wizards, was raised by wizards, dreamed of becoming a wizard. And now she was at the age where she should've been a mage already. Her best friend was already in line to be an S-class wizard. And she was stuck. Left behind as all hopes and luck abandoned her. The dream of becoming a great wizard seemed all but dead to her.

Maki sniffled again and rubbed her eyes before getting to her feet. She slowly trudged onto the muddy trail that led home, her feet slogging through the soupy ground as the rain gained in intensity. It got to the point where Maki had to shield her face with her arms as the rain flew at her sideways, blinding her vision and making traveling through the woods nearly impossible. Her ears picked up the sounds of tree branches snapping free as the wind howled by her.

The violent storm only grew worse. The trail was washed away in front of Maki. Consumed by a river of rainwater that kept her from finding her way home.

"Great." She muttered as more rain battered her, "Just great!" She stepped to the side and took shelter beside a large willow, "How am I going to get home now?" She blinked and saw the ground sloping upwards.

 _Maybe I can see Magnolia if I get to the top?_ Maki reasoned before leaving the trail and scrambling up the slick hillside as quickly as she could.

When she reached the top though, she found the storm even worse than before. Trees were uprooted all around her. It felt like the wind would pick her up and send her flying through the air. Then there was the lightning that came dangerously close to striking her as she stood atop the hill. Massive peals of thunder rattled her rib cage as Maki desperately looked for Magnolia around her.

 _I can't find it._ She felt her breaths come out in panicked gasps, _Where am I!?_

"You seem lost, child." A powerful voice rang out through the howling wind.

Maki turned to face the voice. Through the thick sheets of rain she could see the outline of a woman with long hair and a large witch's hat standing a few yards away from her.

"Are you lost?" The woman asked through the howling wind. It didn't sound like she was yelling. But somehow, Maki could hear her loud and clear through the enormous gale.

Maki gulped, "More than you know, lady."

She heard the outline chuckle. A light hearted noise that made all of Maki's problems seem insignificant.

"Well child, what should you do if you are lost?"

Maki frowned, "I know what to do if I get lost. I just can't do it if I can't see in front of me!"

"Then clear the way." The woman advised before waving a hand.

Maki's mouth fell open as the rain suddenly lightened. The gale force winds died away to a gentle breeze. The thick dark clouds above Maki lightened and became a pale grey color that allowed only a small drizzle of rain to descend onto the earth below. Maki stared stunned at the woman that she could now clearly see.

The red haired woman slowly walked up to her, her weight leaning up against her long staff when she finally stopped approaching Maki. Her ruby lips parted into a reassuring smile.

"Sometimes though, you need a little help from others in order to clear the way forward."

"D-did you-" Maki whipped her head around her, checking to see if she wasn't just seeing things, "Did you make the storm disappear!?"

The woman chuckled, "In a way yes. And in a way no. My magic is a peculiar thing. It would be more accurate to say that I sent the majority of the storm away to another place via an enchantment."

Maki's eyes widened, "You sent the storm away!?"

The woman nodded, "It wasn't easy. But I did it. It's been a good long while since I've done something like that." She sighed, "It's good to let loose sometimes."

"How did you do that!?"

The woman gazed at Maki, "What? Were not raised with manners child?

Maki raised an eyebrow before understanding what the woman meant, "Oh sorry, um…. hi, I'm Maki Marvell. May I ask your name?"

The woman nodded, "Better. My name is Irene."

"Irene? That's a weird name."

The woman laughed lightly, "A little rude to outright say that. But I'll let that one slide. Tell me Maki, why were you crying."

Maki glanced at her feet, "Oh… so you heard that."

"And noticed it." Irene replied, "Your eyes are still stained."

Maki furiously rubbed at her face, attempted to get rid of the tear stains, "I was just… upset. That's all."

"About?"

Maki exhaled, "I can't use magic. At all. I'm supposed to help my friend reach S-class but I'm useless to her."

"And why can't you use magic?" Irene asked.

"Because…" Maki furrowed her brow in frustration, "I don't know! I just can't! Maybe I don't have any magic in me!"

Irene shook her head gently, "If you have that kind of attitude and perception on magic then you do not deserve such a gift. You must understand, Maki, all living beings have magic. It's just a matter of learning to tap into your own magical reservoir, as well as learning how to replenish said reservoir."

Maki scoffed, "You make it sound so easy."

"It is for some. And it isn't for others. What matters though is that it can be done, even you can do it." Irene beckoned for Maki to join her as the scarlet haired woman took a seat in the soaked grass. As she sat down though, Maki noticed the grass around them instantly dry up. Small puffs of steam drifted around them.

"H-how did you do that!?"

"That's my magic, Maki." Irene replied, "I am an enchantress. I take things and I reshape their properties. What I just did, drying a patch of grass, is a rather easy enchantment."

"Really!?"

Irene nodded, "Indeed, it is a basic thing to learn." She stopped talking, "But enough about me. We need to talk about you, Maki. What kid of magic are you trying to learn?"

Maki's face turned glum, "The same as my mom's, Sky Dragon Slayer magic."

"Your mother is Wendy Marvell correct?"

Maki nodded, "Was." She corrected, "My mother was Wendy Marvell."

"Well, I can tell you why you are struggling with that kind of magic."

Maki raised an eyebrow.

"Your mother was trained by an actual dragon. Meanwhile, you are attempting to self teach. You are making things a thousand times more difficult than it needs to be." Irene explained while Maki listened intently, "You are attempting to learn a very complex magic without having any sort of foundation. Your mother had a foundation in healing magic. And your father…" Maki's eyes widened, "Your father's foundation was requip."

"Wait a moment!" Maki cried, jumping to her feet, "You knew my father!?"

"I know of him. Never met the man personally, though I wish I did." Irene replied, "He was a very strong wizard. Remarkably powerful. And very dangerous to his enemies. He built up his powers to the point where very few could challenge him."

Maki stared wide eyed at her. Then that frustrated expression returned, "Wait! So if I'm the daughter of two very powerful wizards, then why am I having such a difficult time doing this?"

"Your are attempting to run before you even know how to crawl." Irene pointed out, "Everyone starts out somewhere Maki. Even your friend Nashi, had to struggle before she became the prodigy she has become. All it takes is the right teaching, persistence, and perseverance. You have to want it Maki, more than anything else. You have to live and breath magic. Otherwise, you will never obtain it."

"I can do that!" Maki exclaimed, "I want magic more than anything! I want it so that I can be strong! So-so I won't be bullied anymore. So I won't have to rely on others to save me!"

Irene smiled, "Noble goals. And good ones."

Maki looked at the kind smile of Ms. Irene, "Ms. Irene?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think you can teach me?"

Irene blinked, "Me? Teach you?"

Maki nodded, "I mean. Obviously you know a lot about magic. And you are super powerful. Maybe you are the teacher I need."

In her mind, Irene laughed triumphantly. But on the surface, she flashed a gentle smile.

"You know what kid, why not? I planned on staying Magnolia for a while anyways." Irene rose to her feet, "Be back at this hilltop tomorrow morning, at dawn. We will begin then."

Her brown eyes widened as she felt the small girl wrap her arms around her in a hug.

"Thank you Ms. Irene! You won't regret this."

Maki stopped embracing the older woman before turning around and seeing Magnolia clear as day as the storm clouds faded away, allowing the stars to show themselves. With a renewed spring in her step, Maki raced down the hill towards the city. Hoping to make it home before her Aunt and Uncle got too worried. As she rushed down the hill, Irene Belserion watched, a wicked smile on her lips.

"Yes...I won't regret teaching you at all." She turned and strode towards the small hut she had concealed with an enchantment, "And my Emperor will be most pleased that I did."

 **And chapter! We are getting there folks. Don't worry. The action will start very soon. One more chapter then the Hunt for Gildarts Arc will get under way!**

 **I have gotten questions on if I am continuing this story through Star Wars 7,8, and 9. I really want to. I really really do. But I may catch up to the films more quickly than they can be made. If that happens, then I have two options. Go for it and not care about what happens in the films at that point. Or wait… and possibly lose my motivation and get writer's block. I'm more than likely going to go with option one, just because I hate writer's block. It's the worst feeling in the world for an author. So yeah, there's that explanation.**

 **Anyways, another chapter down folks. I hope it's great so far. As always, I hope you guys enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	5. A Vision of Nobody Important

**Hello everyone! Before I started writing this chapter I realized something… I've officially been writing on this site for over a year now. Time really does fly! And it's been a great year! Thanks for all the support you all have given me with all of my stories! It's a wonderful thing to see. With that being said, let's begin a new chapter!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 4

A Vision of Nobody Important

The water from the tap came out in a cold stream before rushing over the dirty, white dishes. Once properly soaked, a petite hand covered in a yellow rubber glove descended with a green sponge and began to scrub away at the grease and grime on the plate. After several moments and once the plate was properly clean, the woman with pink hair smiled at her reflection in the dish before stowing it away in the cupboard to her right. Just as she did this, she heard the church bells at Kardia Cathedral sound. Her eyes briefly glanced at the clock above the stove.

"Ten O'Clock." she muttered before looking out the window and into darkness that fell over Magnolia as night began to take over. Meldy worriedly exhaled before tossing the sponge into the sink and undoing the white apron that was over her clothing. "Where is that girl?"

"She's still not back yet?" Galen asked as he sat on the couch in the living room, easily visible from where Meldy was standing.

Meldy shook her head, "Maki is going to get it this time."

"Relax, she could still be working." Galen reminded.

"The guild hall closes at nine, Galen. And as far as I know, there were no special events going on tonight. Kinana would've told us otherwise." Meldy walked out of the kitchen and sat down beside her lounging husband.

His hand gently reached over and pulled some of her long pink hair out of her eyes.

"You need to stop worrying about her so much. Maki is fine."

"I know. I should know. It's just…" Meldy sighed, "I can't help but think of Luke's warning all those years ago."

Galen nodded and sat up so that he could move closer to her, "It was just that a warning. Not a prediction of the future."

As they spoke, neither noticed the sound of the front door opening then quietly closing as Maki slowly snuck into the house. She held her breath as she tip toed towards the kitchen. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. A nice little midnight snack sounded good. As she crept towards the kitchen she froze when she heard her Aunt and Uncle's voice in the living room.

"That thing that killed Joshua, Luke said it could come for her too."

Maki held her breath and moved closer. Her aunt and uncle were whispering to each other. Really quietly. Even her dragon hearing could barely make out what they were saying. She crouched low along the wall of the hall that led to the kitchen and waited for them to continue.

"Again, it's only a warning. Not a prediction of what is to come." Her Uncle replied, "As long as Maki doesn't gain too much power in the force, it will never learn of her existence."

"But Galen… you said so yourself just yesterday. We can't keep it from her forever. I mean," Meldy gulped, "She's growing up so fast. Already sixteen." meldy sniffled a little, "It feels like yesterday I was helping Wendy change her diapers."

"Or watching her play with Kento."

Meldy laughed lightly, "Yeah, Kento."

Maki's eyes widened. Kento, that was a name she hadn't heard in a very long time. She could barely remember the son of her Aunt and Uncle. She was only five when he had left to some sort of academy off planet. She had asked where he had gone multiple times. And every time, her aunt and uncle said she wasn't old enough to know yet. And after a couple years, Maki stopped asking. After a couple years, Meldy and Galen stopped constantly talking about Kento. This was the first time she had actually heard them talking about him for quite some time.

"How is he doing?" Meldy asked.

"Luke says he's progressing remarkably fast. The council is even considering knighthood."

Meldy's eyes widened, "Already!? He's too young for that."

"Meldy…"

"He's only seventeen! If he was knighted then he'd be on his own right? I mean, how do we know he's ready for something like that?"

"I've talked to Luke and Kento's master multiple times. Our boy is incredibly strong. And apparently, very independent." Galen chuckled quietly, "I hear he drives Luke and his master up the walls sometimes."

"Oh really?" Meldy replied before smirking, "Reminds me of his father."

"I don't drive people up the walls."

Meldy grinned, "Well… you could drive me-"

 _I really don't wanna hear where this could be going._ Maki cringed as she plugged her ears and quietly crept to her room.

Once inside, she silently closed her door and exhaled. That was too close for comfort. If they had caught her comign home this late at night they would've interrogated her. No doubt about that. It was impossible to hide anything from her aunt and uncle. It was almost like Uncle Galen could read her mind at times. That possibility alone made her shudder. What did her Uncle know about her. Her eyes widened. Could he really read her mind!? If so, what does he know?

She gulped. _Hopefully not too much._

Maybe that was her Uncle's magic. Mind reading. He always seemed to know what was going on in her head anyways. She had never seen him do any kind of magic, even though he was supposed to be a very powerful wizard. He was always just here at home. Relaxing, reading, or in the shed working on one of his many droid projects. He always would invite Maki to help him build some crazy new droid that he would eventually take apart again and rebuild. Maki would always decline. She wasn't interested in that sort of thing. She found it to be a constructive time waster for her Uncle. But she preferred to fill her days with other things. Like working at Fairy Tail, or training with Nashi.

As she slipped into her pajamas and crawled into her bed, her mind continued to remain active. She obviously just overheard a very important, very secretive conversation. A conversation her Aunt and Uncle would not have if they knew she was nearby. Her brain especially focused on the first sentence of she had heard.

 _The thing that killed Joshua. Luke said it could come for me too._ Maki repeated in her head before turning onto her side, _What does that mean?_ Her body trembled ever so slightly, _Who's Joshua? And what thing killed him?_ An even more distressing thought entered her mind. _Why would it come for me?_

That thought plagued her mind relentlessly as she tossed and turned, struggling to fall asleep. But finally, after several hours of flopping, twisting and turning in her bed, her eyes closed and her breathing evened out. Sleep had finally reached her.

….

Maki's eyes burst open. She expected to see the sun's rays streaming through the blinds of her bedroom window while she was curled up in her thick comforter. But instead, she found herself lying on cold, rocky ground. All around her were tall mountain peaks and dense pine forests. She could see the sun slowly setting below the massive mountains. Maki narrowed her eyes as she stared at the sun. It seemed different. Bigger than before. She glanced around her surroundings again, noticing how these pine trees seemed far larger than the ones around Magnolia. They towered over her for hundreds of feet, reaching up into the sky like great fingers. She couldn't even see the tops of some of the trees. It made her feel like she was in a land of giants.

"What is this place?" She wondered aloud.

She was definitely not near Magnolia. There was no way. Unbeknownst to her Aunt and Uncle, Maki and Nashi had explored the areas around Magnolia many times. They had even drawn crude maps of every little detail they had found. Every brook, boulder, hill they had ever climbed, the pair had recorded in crayon when they were younger.

But she had never seen a place like this before. Anywhere. Maki gulped. Had she been kidnapped. Did someone take her out of her bedroom and drop her off in the middle of nowhere where no one could find her. She anxiously rubbed her arms and began to walk away from where she woke up.

As she drifted further from her original spot, she noticed a small mist beginning to form along the forest floor. The air began to cool considerably as she wandered closer towards the tall mountain peaks she saw earlier. When she got closer to those rocky fangs that gnashed at the sky, she noticed the forest starting to thin out. Just when she reached the forest edge, she saw a small, log cabin. A tiny stream of smoke swirled out of the chimney while the inside was illuminated by a crackling fire.

Her mouth began to water as she smelled the alluring scent of meat being roasted over a fire. It was coming directly from the cabin. Maki licked her lips and then felt her stomach rumble. She had forgotten her midnight snack!

 _No wonder I'm so hungry._ She thought as she slowly edged towards the cabin window, _I was too busy dodging my Aunt and Uncle to grab one._ She frowned, _And I missed dinner! I MISSED DINNER!_ She kicked herself, _It was probably something delicious too, knowing Aunt Meldy._

She reached the window and carefully peeked over the window sill. Inside was the cabin was a single room. A small bed, meant for one, was sitting in the far right corner. At the foot of the bed was a large wooden chest. Moving along the wall, to the left of the bed, was the fireplace where she could see the carcass of some small animal she did not recognize sizzling over a small fire. And sitting in front of the fire, on a small wooden stool, was a figure.

He was clothed in all black robes. His head hidden by a black hood as he faced away from her. Her ears picked up the sounds of chewing as the figure munching quietly on a bowl of berries.

"Mmm… berries." Maki whispered, not knowing that she said that aloud.

The figure stopped what he was doing. The sounds of chewing abruptly ended. Maki realized that she had spoken too loudly. She quickly jerked away from the window sill and sank beneath it, attempting to hide in the cabin's long shadow. Above her, a gloved hand gently pushed the window open. The hand then rested on the wooden sill. The fingers tapped quietly against it. The sound produced being a strange, metallic tapping.

 _Is he a droid of some sort!?_ Maki thought as she stared up at the gloved hand.

"Get out here." A calm voice sharply ordered, causing Maki's breath to catch in her throat, "I know you're are there. I can still sense you."

 _Dammit all!_ Maki thought before silently gulping, _Maybe if I don't move or make any noise. He'll leave._

Her eyes widened as she saw the second hand grip the window sill. She could've sworn she just saw blue sparks dance from the fingertips of the man's right hand as it came to rest on the wood. The smell of electricity permeated her nose, confirming what she had seen. This guy was some sort of lightning wizard.

 _A wizard!_ Maki thought again, _I just interrupted a wizard's breakfast!_ She gulped, _If's he's not friendly then I'm done for!_

 __A loud yelp erupted from her lips as the man's left hand suddenly reached down and yanked her up by the back of her shirt. The world spun as she was flung into the cabin, landing hard on the wooden floor boards. She slid across the room and bumped against the small stones that lined the edges of the fireplace. A groan escaped Maki's lips. That was going to leave a mark.

 _Wait! I'm_ \- she didn't think about anything else. Just escape. Run. Get away from here! Those were the thoughts going through her mind. Behind her, she could hear the fire hissing as it was suddenly doused, engulfing the cabin in darkness. The window slammed shut and she heard the sound of the lone door being latched closed.

Maki squeezed her eyes tightly shut. This had to be a nightmare. A bad dream. She just had to close her eyes then wake up again. Then she'd be back in her room. Her eyes carefully opened and she let out a terrified scream.

Staring back at her was not her closet mirror or her bedroom window. Instead, a set of blazing yellow eyes stared back at her. They were the only features she could see beneath the deep, black hood her captor was wearing. She scrambled away from the cloaked man, moving swiftly across the floor towards the door. Then she saw his boots in front of her as he stepped in her way. A loud sob of fear and despair left her before she retreated back towards the fireplace. Her body curled itself into a small ball as she tried to hide from her captor and keep herself warm. The temperature had plummeted in the cabin. It had gotten so cold that it felt like a winter in Magnolia. She could see her breath misting in front of her face as panicked breaths escaped her lungs.

The man stood tall over her before kneeling down so that he was at her eye level. Maki stared petrified into the man's yellow eyes. Every instinct told her to run. But she couldn't. She was paralyzed. Caught in the gaze of a deadly wizard. Fear filled every pore and she could feel cold sweat running along her spine.

"Who are you?" The man growled, his breath misting in front of his blazing eyes.

Maki couldn't speak. She was too afraid to move anything, let alone her lips. Only a strangled cry came from her mouth in response to the man's question.

"Very well." The man sighed, "Then where are you from?"

This time she was able to speak, "M-Mag-Magnolia." She squeaked fearfully.

The man drew back, placing his weight on his heels as he crouched in front of her, "Magnolia?" He questioned, this time his voice sounded much more gentle. It had lost all it's venom. "As in Earthland?"

Maki nodded swiftly.

"What are you doing on Concordia then?"

Maki blinked, "Wh-where?" The temperature began to rise again. Behind her, Maki could feel the warmth of the fire as it was suddenly rekindled.

The man sighed, "Forgive me. I should've figured you don't know your star charts. You are from Earthland after all. The galaxy is still a new place for you." The cold completely died away and the deep shadows that had engulfed the cabin retreated.

The lingering fear that she felt in her gut slowly faded as well. That's not to say Maki wasn't still very afraid. But she was no longer petrified. It was as if her courage had been given back to her by the man as his threatening demeanor was replaced by a relaxed, gentle one. She watched him carefully as he took his seat in front of the fire once again. He reached down, grabbed the bowl of berries and began munching on them once again as he stared into the fire.

The fire allowed Maki to see a little more of the man's features. He looked young. At least, younger than she thought he was. But at the same time, he had the face of a man who had seen a lot in his brief life. Bags lined his eyes while his skin looked a touch too pale to be considered healthy. His jaw was covered in a neatly trimmed beard. But beyond that, she couldn't see much of his face, the shadows of his hood still hiding a lot from her.

As she stayed stuck in place. The man's head turned to looked at her. She saw his pale lips curl into an amused smirk.

"Sorry for scaring you like that. Concordia is rife with no good shitheads looking to cause me trouble. I mistook you for one of them." he held out the bowl, "Berries?"

Maki glanced cautiously at the fruit then up at the man again. His yellow eyes looked at her, not fiercely anymore, but much more kindly. It was almost comforting to Maki. She hesitantly reached over and grabbed a handful of the dark purple fruit.

"Th-thanks." She stammered before carefully popping one in her mouth.

Her eyes widened briefly at how sweet they tasted. It was like eating a piece of candy. The man chuckled as he brought the bowl back towards him.

"Good huh?"

Maki nodded as she devoured another berry.

"They grow just outside of the cabin. Took me a while to eat them. I kept thinking they might be poisonous."

Maki froze and the man just laughed again.

"They aren't, don't worry." He ate a berry himself before sighing and drawing back the hood.

The man definitely looked young. He looked easily as young as her Uncle Galen did. His brown hair was cropped into a short, spiky hair style. His yellow eyes sparkled with young energy. But the rest of his face showed his true age. He looked exhausted. The bags under his eyes far more pronounced once the hood was removed. His complexion was far more pale than Maki had originally thought. And she thought she could see specks of gray mixed in with the normal brown in his neat beard.

"Who are you?" Maki managed to say.

The man glanced at her, "Nobody important." He replied, "You?"

Maki shrugged, "Same."

He nodded, "Well," he held out a hand, "Nice to meet you, Same."

Her eye twitched at the bad joke. But nevertheless, she took his gloved hand and shook it.

"You as well, Nobody Important."

The man nodded and rolled his shoulders, allowing Maki to hear the joints popping as he moved.

"So Maki," She froze when he spoke her real name, "How did you end up on Concordia?"

She rushed to her feet and took a few steps back.

"How do you know my real name?"

He smirked, "I only know your first name, don't worry. I won't go stealing your identity or anything like that. I wouldn't be able to pull off your girlish figure anyways."

"Stop joking and tell me how!"

He glanced at her, "You're an impatient little girl aren't you?" She glared at him and he shrugged, "Your mental defences could use a little work. While you were distracted by the berries I probed your mind."

Maki's jaw fell open, "I feel horribly violated."

"I wasn't able to see much, don't worry." Nobody Important reassured, "You are very strong willed. It made doing anything very difficult. So you have that going for you."

Maki snorted, "At least I have one awesome ability at least."

Nobody Important arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

Maki crossed arms, "I'm the daughter of some powerful wizards… and I don't have any magic." She explained, "I've resorted to being a waitress because I can't do anything else for the guild."

"That guild being?"

"Fairy Tail."

The man's eyes widened a little, "Really? I've heard of them. They played a major role in toppling the Galactic Empire. Great wizards, or so I hear."

Maki shrugged as she suddenly felt very comfortable, "Some are. Others are bullies." She grit her teeth, "God if I actually had magic, I would pound Dash into paste for all the times he tortured me!"

Normally, the adults at the guild would rebuke her for saying something like that. After all, in their eyes, Dash was the golden boy of the guild. A true wizard with a great reputation and a kind heart. But beneath the surface, Dash was a heartless bastard that loved to prey on the helpless. Most notably, herself. Instead of rebuking Maki, Nobody Important nodded.

"An understandable desire for power." He nodded, "Is this Dash a bully of yours?"

"Gee, how'd you guess?" She replied sarcastically.

"I don't know. Maybe it was thanks to your cheerful demeanor." He replied equally as sarcastic.

Maki narrowed her eyes. _He's challenging my sarcasm dominance and I don't like it._

"I'll give you some advice kid, because it looks like you are about to wake up." Maki looked at him puzzled, "Bullies will never respect you, ever, if you continue to think less of yourself. You need to be strong, believe in your own abilities." Maki noticed her sight getting fuzzy as she suddenly felt very drowsy, "It doesn't take magic to be able to defend yourself."

Everything went dark.

….

The loud blaring of Maki's alarm clock jerked her awake. Her body jolted upright and she frantically looked around, expecting to see the warm glow of a fire and the log walls of Nobody Important's cabin. Instead, she found herself in her room. Her sheets tucked neatly around her and the sun gently streaming through the blinds of her window.

"I'm home?" She mumbled before flopping back against her pillow and wiping her face, "That was a heck of a dream then."

It felt so real to her. So vivid. Everything from the feeling of the cold wind around her to the terrifying chill she first felt in the presence of Nobody Important. It all felt real. Nothing like a normal dream. And that bothered her.

 _I was out waaay too late last night._ She thought to herself as she swung her legs out of her bed and yawned, _Got so tired I started dreaming weird shit._

She yawned again, "Especially that storm. I must've dreamt that up to."

The door to her room opened and Meldy burst in.

"~Good Morning Maki~" she practically sang, causing the black haired girl to wince and rub her ears.

"Good morning, Aunt Meldy." she mumbled.

"Do you know what time it is Maki?"

Maki sleepily shook her head.

"It's noon." Her eyes shot open, "Aren't you supposed to be at-"

"Training!" Maki exclaimed loudly, "Oh my god, Nashi is going to kill me!"

Meldy blinked before shaking her head, "Whoa! Whoa! did I just hear you shout something about training?"

Maki froze and she smiled sheepishly at her aunt, "Maybe."

Meldy folded her arms and tapped her foot, "Maki, what have you been doing instead of working?"

Maki gulped then sighed, "Nashi got chosen to compete for S-class. And… she chose me to be her partner." She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for Aunt Meldy to freak out at her. She normally did if Maki lied to her about stuff. But instead, her aunt said nothing.

"Nashi asked you to help her?" He aunt finally said, quietly breaking the silence.

Maki opened her eyes and nodded, "Yeah. Apparently, it's her birthday present to me. She wanted to give me an adventure or something like that."

Her aunt smiled, "That's so kind of her Maki. But um… did you unlock a magic?"

Maki frowned, "No. I'm just helping Nashi as best as I can. Without any magic."

She swore she heard her aunt breath a quiet sigh of relief before continuing.

"Well, it'll come eventually." Meldy reassured, "Some people are just late bloomers."

"You say that about her boobs too." Uncle Galen said as he stepped into the room

"UNCLE!" Maki cried, her cheeks flushing furiously as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Galen!" Meldy smacked his arm.

"What?" The man replied, "Just being honest."

Maki self consciously glanced down at her chest, "They aren't that small."

"I hate to break it to you Maki but you are as flat as-"

"Enough honesty from you today, Galen." Meldy snapped quickly before rubbing her forehead, "Geez, you are just wanting to antagonize today."

"I'm in a good mood." Galen replied with a smirk.

"Well be in a bad mood for once please." Maki grumbled before allowing her mind to wander to the dream she had last night.

Galen glanced at Maki's face and saw the gloomy expression etched on it. Maki was normally a very quiet, introverted girl. But she never seemed this worried or stressed. Something was clearly bothering her. Galen could feel it. He moved past Meldy and took a seat beside his niece.

"Hey, something's bothering you."

"No." Maki replied.

"Yes, something is. I can tell."

Maki cursed under her breath.

"Bad dream?"

"How do you do that!?" Maki exclaimed.

"Do what?"

"Read my mind?" Maki asked as she glared at Galen, "It's like you know exactly what's going on up there. And it's creepy." She huffed, "But to answer your question, yes it was a dream. Though… not necessarily a bad one."

Meldy grinned, "Did it involve a boy?"

Maki's cheeks flushed.

"Oh she better hope it didn't." Galen said lowly.

"No! It didn't!" Maki exclaimed, "It was… it wasn't a normal dream."

She saw her Uncle's expression get deadly serious all of a sudden.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked.

Maki shrugged, "I don't know. It just felt way too… real. Too vivid to be just a dream."

Galen nodded, "What was it about?"

"I don't exactly know. But, it took place in someplace called Concordia."

"Concordia?" Meldy gasped, "As in Mandalore's moon?"

"Mandawhat's moon?"

"It's a planet, Maki. Mandalore. It's located far in the outer rim of the galaxy, near Taris." Galen explained, as if Maki actually new what he meant by that, "It has a moon called Concordia. Very mountainous and dense with forest."

"Yeah exactly! There were a lot a mountains and pine forests. And there was this cabin. And inside the cabin was some guy who wore really dark robes." Meldy's face paled, "He had brown hair and ridiculously fiery eyes. I mean, there was no way those were natural."

Galen nodded nonchalantly, "Interesting dream." he looked at her, "What did you eat last night?"

Maki arched an eyebrow, "Nothing. What does that have to do with any of this."

"I see," Galen nodded, "That weird dream is your stomach telling you to get home in time for dinner from now on."

Maki paled, "Oh… you guys noticed that?"

"You bet we did." Galen said, "And if it wasn't for your commitment to help Nashi, then we would be grounding you for being out so late without permission."

"S-sorry Uncle Galen." Maki stammered, "Sorry Aunt Meldy."

"It's ok dear." Meldy replied, some color returning to her face, "We were just really worried, what with that massive storm that came through and all. It was not a good night to be out late."

Maki blinked. There was a big storm last night. So she wasn't just dreaming that up too. Then that means she did talk to some lady named Irene. And that lady was expecting her to meet at the top of the hill way earlier this morning. Maki jumped to her feet and yanked an outfit from her closet.

"I need to go! Nashi is waiting for me!" She lied.

Galen smiled and nodded, "Alright then. Have fun! And be back by supper."

Maki tossed the hoodie over her head and jumped into a pair of black jeans. She didn't even bother to comb her hair. She was running late. The one lady who was possibly able to help her unlock her magic was waiting still, hopeful. She was so late! She rushed out the door, not bothering to say goodbye to her Aunt and Uncle.

When the door slammed shut behind Maki, Meldy let out a heavy breath.

"Galen… what was that all about?"

The man grimaced, "Meldy… I think the force is awakening in her."

"What do you mean by that!?"

He took a deep breath, "What Maki just described to us was a type of Force vision. A very real, vivid dream in a way. Force sensitives are very prone to them. They can give us a sort of clairvoyance or even precognition."

"And Maki's vision," Meldy continued, "She described Joshua exactly."

Galen nodded, "Yeah… she did. I don't remember him ever saying he'd been to Concordia. Did he say anything to you or the others?"

Meldy shook her head, "Before he died, he said he trained on Malachor. Not Concordia."

Galen's brow furrowed and he frowned, "Something's off. Something is very off." He muttered, "I'm going to meditate for most of today. I want to try and figure this out."

"It's been a really long time since you've done that." Meldy noted.

"Yes it has." Galen replied as he exited Maki's room and strode to his workshop, "And I shouldn't procrastinate on it anymore. If the force is starting to awaken in Maki then we need to be prepared."

….

Irene's head craned upwards to look at the noon sun sitting high over her head. Her lips turned into a scowl as she tapped her foot and leaned against her staff. The brat was late… very late. She did not appreciate tardiness. It was a pet peeve of hers. If she gave orders then she expected them to be accomplished on time. No exceptions and no excuses. Once that stupid girl arrived, she would have to learn that lesson.

Her ears perked when she heard the sounds of Maki Marvell scrambling up the hill, her breaths coming from her lungs in dry heaves. Without turning to acknowledge the girl, Irene spoke.

"You are late." She scolded.

"I'm sorry. Got held up by my Aunt and Uncle." Maki replied, "And… I kinda didn't know if what happened last night was real or not."

Irene frowned before twisting to look at Maki, "Regardless, I offered you my assistance. And in return you arrive horribly late. Your rudeness knows no bounds."

"Geez, sorry _mom_."

Irene scowled and flicked her staff in Maki's direction, using magic to send the girl flying several meters and into the mud at their feet.

"Learn your place apprentice." Irene glowered, "It is not your job to question a master."

"What the hell happened to the kind old lady I met last night?"

Irene's eyes twitched. Did she just call her old!? Irene's eyes sparked with fury that she quickly repressed. She couldn't afford to scare off Maki Marvell. The girl needed training. She needed a foundation that her Emperor could build upon once the time was right. No one in Fairy Tail was giving that to the girl. So, like always, Irene had to do it herself. She uttered a long sigh before planting her staff into the hilltop.

"Are you ready to begin Maki?" She asked as the teen got back up to her feet.

"More than ready!" Maki replied.

Irene nodded, "Good. First part of our lesson today, discovering what magic really is."

Maki frowned, "But I already know what magic really is."

"Do you? Do you really?"

"Uh yeah." Maki replied, "It's the result of a particle in the air known as Ethernanos. Wizards are able to absorb those ethernanos and store them in a bodily container that they can then access to create magic spells."

Irene blinked, "Oh… so you do know."

"Well yeah!" Maki exclaimed, "I've been trying to figure out magic since I was a little kid. Of course I'd know that stuff."

Irene smirked. The girl already knew much. That was good. It would make training her a little easier.

"Excellent. Then we can move on to learning how to access and fill your magical reservoir."

Maki nodded, "Ok then. How do I do that?"

"It depends on the person. But it always requires a great deal of focus at first. The greatest wizards eventually train themselves to the point where they don't even have to concentrate to absorb ethernanos. But for beginners, focus, concentration, and patience are key. You must be doing something that calms your mind and allows you to feel the ehternanos around and inside of you."

Maki raised an eyebrow, "Like meditation?"

"Sort of. Like I said, it depends on the person. You could use meditation, or physical exertion. It all depends on what helps you calm your mind."

Maki nodded, "And I'm guessing that can be difficult to figure out if you don't exactly know."

Irene nodded, "A tad."

Maki sighed, "Alright then. Let's do this."

She quickly sat down in the grass and began to attempt to clear her mind with the first technique she could think of. It was one she had seen her Uncle Galen do on occasion. Every time he did, she could feel him generating raw power. Even if she didn't know what kind of magic it could possibly be, she knew it had to be powerful. Whenever Uncle Galen chose to meditate, the power he exuded would make her skin form goosebumps. Maybe since he was her family, she would be able to do that same. At this point, she had nothing to lose. All she could do was try.

 **And chapter! It looks like Maki is a bit of a late bloomer. Or maybe she's had her powers all this time, they just aren't manifesting in a traditional way? After all, she did just say she can sense Galen's power when he meditates. I wonder how the force will manifest in her? Should be interesting given her current teacher. Anyways, let me know what you guys think. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	6. Master and Apprentice

**Hello everyone! I've got a new chapter ready to go! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 5

Master and Apprentice

"Breath Maki." The commanding voice of Lady Irene advised, "Just breath. Feel the ethernanos around you. Feel them inside of you."

Maki took a deep breath. Then exhaled. She knelt in the tall grass atop a tall hill overlooking Magnolia. All around her, the sights and sounds of summer filled the air. Dandelions grew in abundance, their yellow petals covering the entire hilltop. Wildflowers and violets danced lazily as gentle, warm breezes brushed past the hilltop. All the while, Irene stood, calmly watching her student.

They had been attempting this exercise for the past two weeks now. For two weeks, Maki had done nothing but attempt to feel and gather ethernanos. So far, to no immediate success. But Maki had started to notice a change. She felt a pressure building inside of her. It grew little by little each day. Like a bucket being slowly filled by drops of water coming from a closed faucet. But despite her feeling of progress, her learning was going painfully slow. Yet somehow, her teacher, Lady Irene, had remained completely patient. Content with waiting, watching, and advising where she could. There was little the powerful wizard could teach her young student at this point. She had to learn how to conjure magic before the real instruction could even remotely begin.

Most would've grown very distraught with how difficult it was for Maki to figure out the technique. Any ordinary teacher would've given up days ago, convinced that Maki was magic-less. But in Irene's mind, that was part of the problem. No one seemed to recognize that Maki was different from other wizards. She was not only the daughter of a dragon slayer, but also the daughter of a Sith Lord. A powerful and potent combination that had to be nurtured patiently and carefully. Like tending to a delicate flower as it grew. Maki had to be watered with knowledge, fed with advice, and given the chance to breath and absorb said knowledge. Like a flower gaining energy from the sun. Such a process could not be rushed if the flower is to bloom. Besides, Irene had all the time in the world to wait. After all, she had waited far longer on much more sensitive matters before. A couple weeks were nothing to her.

And they were nothing to her Emperor either. He had far more patience than she did. He wouldn't mind the wait. Just as long as results were produced.

"I'm feeling something." Maki suddenly whispered, drawing Irene's attention.

"You are?" Irene asked calmly as she leaned on her staff.

"Yeah, a pressure in my gut." Maki squeezed her eyes and focused on it. Her cheeks then turned a deep shade of red as she felt herself pass gas, "S-sorry."

A light chuckle escaped Irene's lips, "You felt something alright."

"Are you making fun of me?" Maki asked, cracking open an eyes so she could glance at the scarlet haired enchantress.

"Only a little. Now back to your meditation." Irene replied swiftly.

Maki nodded and took another deep breath. Unlike her teacher, Maki was growing very irate with her progress. It had been two weeks. Two weeks of doing nothing but sitting atop this same hill and meditating. And nothing had come of it. Meanwhile, when she wasn't on top of the hill with Lady Irene, she was with Nashi, doing much more physical training.

Physically, Maki had never felt stronger. She had muscles developing in places she never thought she'd ever see muscles. Her stomach was starting to flatten. Her arms began to grow powerful. And her legs could now match Nashi when it came to endurance running. Her friend really pushed her when it came to training. And in the end, as much as Maki acted annoyed by it all, she was grateful. She'd never felt this healthy before in her life. Mentally and physically, she felt amazing.

Even her aunt and uncle had commented on that when she woke up smiling one morning, despite being very sore. Uncle Galen said hell must've frozen over while Aunt Meldy just scolded him and asked if she had a dream about a boy.

Maki snorted a laugh as she continued to try feeling for ethernanos.

"You are having thoughts." Irene said.

Maki frowned, "Well yeah. Being quiet like this makes my mind wander."

"That means you aren't clearing it."

She scowled, "Kinda difficult to clear my mind when your voice is constantly entering it!" Maki growled.

*THWACK*

Irene's staff smacked her upside the head. With a howl of pain, Maki's eyes flipped open and she jumped to her feet.

"STOP DOING THAT!" She shouted as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Doing what? Disciplining you?" Irene replied.

"Yes! Stop hitting me!"

*WHACK*

"OWWW!" Maki jumped up and down on one foot as Irene whacked her right shin.

"You lack discipline. And that impedes your progress."

"I lack discipline!? Do you even know who raised me!?" Maki roared.

"Indeed I do. A no good layabout named Galen Marek who was once a tremendous trouble maker." Maki's lips curled into a snarl, "And a childhood runaway who at one point was a notorious criminal named Meldy Marek." Irene smirked, "Truly wonderful parenting."

"You take that back." Maki growled.

Irene blinked momentarily as she felt pressure building around her. A pressure that wasn't her own. Her lips widened into a grin.

Maybe Maki wasn't like a flower. Flowers wilted when treated harshly. But Maki was starting to soar. The pressure held steady around Irene as Maki glared at her, anger flashing on her face.

"And…" Irene started, "Don't get me started on your mother." Maki's eyes narrowed dangerously, "You think you've had good parenting? Darling, you never even had a parent."

Irene's eyes widened as she all of a sudden saw the tall grass around her knot up and turn into massive coils of rope. Meanwhile, Maki just glared at her maliciously. Her eyes flashing from hazel to yellow and back again.

 _What is this!?_ Irene thought as she felt the coils of grass tighten around her, shaking her staff free from her grip and lifting her into the air. _This isn't dragon slayer magic! And it most certainly isn't anything I'm familiar with when it comes to the force._

Irene blinked as she noticed something. Maki wasn't moving. She was standing stock still. Just staring at the grass as it tightened around Irene's body, cutting of her circulation to her legs, then her arms. Irene grit her teeth as she felt the rope wrap around her neck.

 _She isn't moving? Magic like this requires at least some sort of movement. A magic circle. Something?_ Her eyes widened, _Unless… this isn't magic. This may be an-_

Irene let her magic power roar to life. Her powerful enchantment magic bursting forth as she turned the grass ropes into dust, enchanting the life out of each blade until it didn't even exist anymore. Irene smirked as she landed easily on her feet.

"Illusion." She mumbled.

As powerful as she was, it was impossible for he to be able to steal life away from anything. That was a lost magic that only her old Emperor knew of. And he refused to share that lovely bit of information. Only in an altered reality could she cut loose like that. When she rose to her feet again, her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Maki. The girl was passed out in the grass, nearly twenty yards away from her. And not a single blade of grass was dead or out of place. Everything looked exactly as Irene recalled.

 _That kind of illusion was… powerful. So realistic. Impossible to create with ethernanos._ She looked at the unconscious Maki. _The brat has a gift! It's not in the normal applications of magic, or even the force. No, she has a gift for the unconventional. That is why no one was able to teach her._

The scarlet haired enchantress strode over to Maki and sat down beside the girl.

"You are very powerful Maki Marvell." She said quietly before placing the girl's head in her lap, "Very powerful indeed." Irene sighed, "But, you are beyond my knowledge. I am an enchantress, not a miracle worker. Illusions are a complex magic. Even then, what you just used was not magic. That was the Force."

Irene rose and began to stride away, resigned to resuming her original observation mission. She took one last glance back at Maki and smiled. The girl was going to be quite the specimen for her Emperor. He will be most pleased.

….

Maki groaned then winced. She felt her head pounding. Like hammers were banging against her skull. It drowned out any other noise around her. She tried to open her eyes, but the sun was way to bright. She winced and clenched her jaw as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

"Is she ok, Ms. Porlyusica?" A voice Maki recognized asked.

 _Nashi?_

"She will be fine little one." A very old woman's voice replied, her speech barely audible to Maki, "Just a bit of a scare with the heat. Nothing more."

"Oh… ok." Nashi sighed in relief, "That was scary."

"I'm sure it was." A third voice stated.

 _Master Mira?_

"What in the world was Maki doing that far outside of the city? She wasn't even close to your house." Mirajane asked Nashi while Maki's head pulsed.

"I dunno. She was supposed to be stopping by after noon to train with me."

"There is no evidence of an attacker?" The old woman, Porlyusica asked.

Maki cracked her eyes open and saw Nashi shake her head.

"I didn't see, smell, or hear anything out of the ordinary."

Mirajane nodded, "Well that's a relief I suppose. But I'll still send someone to check the area out. Something happened to Maki up there. And I want to make sure the area around Magnolia is safe."

"If you feel that is necessary Mirajane." Porlyusica replied, "Now then, I need some help getting home. These old bones aren't what they used to be."

"Of course." Mira replied as she helped Porlyusica hobble towards the infirmary door. The woman quietly shut it behind her, leaving Maki and Nashi alone.

Maki moved her head and looked at her friend, "Are they gone?"

"Maki!" Nashi cried before flinging her arms around her friend, "You had us so scared!"

Maki raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? What exactly happened?"

"Oh geez, where to start." Nashi sighed as she pulled a chair up beside Maki's cot, "Well, you didn't show up for training on time. No surprise there. But when you were an hour late I got worried. So I… found one of your socks and used it's scent to find you."

Maki stared stunned at Nashi, "You have one of my socks?"

"Yeah. You left it the last time you were over." Nashi then shook her head, "Stop trying to change the subject on me! I wanna know what the heck you were doing all the way on that hill!?"

"So do we."

Maki froze and her blood turned cold in her veins as she heard the infirmary door open. First, the calm, deliberate footsteps of her Uncle. Then the frantic rushing of her Aunt as both strode through the door.

"Maki!" Meldy cried as she flung her arms around the girl, "We came as soon as we could! Are you ok!? What's hurt!? Do you need me to kiss it to make it better!? Or perhaps a sensory link spell!?"

"Aunt Meldy!" Maki said, her voice muffled by her Aunt's shoulder, "Personal Space!"

"Meldy let her breath." Galen droned before the pink haired woman pried herself off of Maki.

Maki took a breath of air and gulped. She wasn't anxious about her Aunt Meldy. She always spoiled her, even if it was just a little bit. No matter what, Aunt Meldy had her back. What she was concerned about, was Uncle Galen. He was the opposite of her Aunt Meldy. While Meldy was a bubbly person, always smiling and laughing, Uncle Galen was a very stern man. The only time he seemed to really be relaxed and carefree was when he was around Aunt Meldy. Maki guessed that was why they got along so well. However, despite her aunt's presence, Galen's expression told Maki that she had some explaining to do.

"I'm guessing I'm not getting out of this one?" Maki muttered.

"Oh well-" Meldy started before being cut off by Galen.

"You'd be correct, Maki." Galen said stiffly.

"Galen! She's safe! Nothing bad happened." Meldy replied.

"That we know of." Galen snapped back quietly, "Maki, what were you doing on that hilltop."

Maki gulped a little and sat up a straighter, "I was… training."

Galen arched an eyebrow, "Training?"

"Without me!?" Nashi cried.

"Nashi, out." Galen practically growled. It was a tone of voice that made the dragon slayer shiver with fear.

"Y-yes sir." Nashi rushed out the door.

Once the door was shut behind her, Galen crossed his arms and turned back to Maki. Maki refused to make eye contact with her Uncle. The cold glare he was giving her made her want to crawl into a hole and hide for all eternity. She had only ever seen him get like this one other time in her young life. That was when she attempted to runaway from home when she was ten. Just cause she could do it. While Meldy was just glad she came home, Galen was furious. And his fury was always a silent one. That made him far more terrifying in Maki's eyes.

"Tell us the truth Maki." Galen said, his eyes never moving from Maki. She felt like they were boring holes right into her mind. Picking apart every single movement she made to determine if she was telling the truth or not, "Why were you on that hill? And what happened up there?"

"I told you." Maki replied, "I was training, and I overexerted myself."

"What were you training?"

"My body."

"Maki, don't sass." Meldy pleaded as anger briefly flashed across Galen's face before fading back behind his mask of disappointment.

Galen couldn't get a read on Maki. He severely doubted her story. It wasn't even a hot day outside. For her to pass out from physical exertion was highly unlikely. Possible, but unlikely. And the way Maki was attempting to avoid giving him a full answer to his questions told him that there was much more happening on that hilltop than she was letting on. However, he also sensed a grain of truth coming from her. She was indeed training on that hilltop.

"Your masking what you were doing by telling half truths." Galen pointed out, "I want the full truth."

Maki remained silent. She knew they wouldn't approve of what she had been doing. First of all, she was attempting to learn how to use magic. While her Aunt and Uncle weren't opposed to her doing that, they certainly didn't support it. They almost feared the possibility that she would learn any magic. Every time she said she was going to try, she would notice her guardians tense up ever so slightly.

Secondly though, she was training with a stranger. Lady Irene literally came out of nowhere for Maki. Hell, she didn't even know Lady Irene's last name, let alone where she was from or what magic she used. All she knew about the lady was that she was a very powerful wizard. So powerful that she could alter the weather. Something that still struck awe into Maki as she recalled the night she first met her teacher.

Maki knew that both Galen and Meldy would be very upset with her for learning from a total stranger. Someone that they most likely did not know. They were very overprotective of her. Always making sure that she didn't push too far or go too fast. And she hated that. She hated not being allowed to learn magic the way she wanted to learn. All they did was throw in random classes taught by Romeo Conbolt and, on occasion, Levy Redfox. Lady Irene gave her the instruction she needed. The advice she craved. The techniques she desired in order to finally become a wizard after so long. Maki was not about to let that be destroyed by her overprotective Aunt and Uncle.

So she greet Galen's interrogation with silence. Needless to say, the man was not amused.

"Maki… tell me now. Or I will make sure you cannot go on your quest with Nashi."

Maki's gut dropped. Her Uncle went straight for the killing blow. Doing his best to get her to talk. If she spoke, she would be able to help Nashi fulfill her dream of becoming S-class. She had slowly warmed up to the idea after training with her friend. It gave her a purpose. Something to do other than serving drinks and food at the guild hall (a profession she despised the longer she did it). For her Uncle to threaten the one thing she enjoyed doing was a blow that stung. Maki gulped and stared at her Uncle for a moment. He wasn't joking. She could tell. Galen Marek was deadly serious right now.

"I was trying to learn magic." Maki sighed as she bowed her head.

Meldy's eyes widened, "H-how?"

"A stranger was teaching me."

"A STRANGER!" Meldy shouted, "What stranger!? Maki, you know better!"

"Tell us this person's name." Galen snarled.

Maki shifted uncomfortably in her cot and bit her lips, "Irene."

"Irene who?"

Maki shrugged, "She never told me her last name." Her head snapped up to look at Galen and Meldy, "But I learned so much from her! I learned techniques on how to gather ethernanos. I learned about the nature of magic! I learned that I needed to build myself a base before attempting to learn complex spells! I-"

Galen raised a hand, prompting Maki to silence herself.

"What did this Irene look like?"

Maki frowned, "Um… tall. Well, taller than me, shorter than someone like Mr. Elfman. She's an older woman, older than you Aunt Meldy. She wear's witches attire and carries a big staff." Maki blinked, "Oh! And she has really red hair!" Meldy's eyes widened, as did Galen's, "Practically scarlet in color."

Meldy glanced at Galen who simply nodded.

"Was that so hard?" he asked Maki.

The girl slowly shook her head then sighed, "No."

"I thought so." Galen replied, "You can help Nashi. But after that, you are grounded. Me and your Aunt will discuss the duration of your punishment."

"As well as any extra chores added to it." Meldy added in.

"Do you understand?" Galen asked.

Maki nodded.

"Good. Now then, how are you feeling?"

"Better." Maki replied quietly.

"Then get on up and get out of here. Nashi is probably getting impatient outside."

"Yes sir." Maki jumped out of the cot and rushed out of the infirmary. Anxious to get away from her dissapointed Aunt and Uncle. As soon as she was gone, Meldy fell into a chair and rubbed her forehead.

"Galen, she just described-"

"It's not Erza though." Galen stated quickly, "Think about it. Erza is older than you. But Maki made it sound like this woman was a good deal older than you. And, Erza wouldn't be caught dead without some type of armor on. She wouldn't wear normal clothes. Much less witch's attire." Galen frowned and rubbed his chin, "This was someone different. But, that is not what I'm concerned about. What I'm concerned about, is that massive pulse I felt in the Force a few hours ago. At first I thought it may be a new threat. Then when we came hear and Maki told us about Irene, I thought maybe it was her teacher."

Meldy gulped, "You don't think it was either of those, do you?"

Galen nodded, "I sensed it Meldy. The Force, it's awake in Maki. It's stirring deep within her. Slowly coming to the surface. It won't be long before she begins to liberally use her powers without knowing how to control them."

Meldy sighed and ran a shaky hand through her long pink locks, "So… it's almost time. But Luke said he'd come for her when he felt the time was right."

"Well maybe Luke forgot." Galen replied, "Either way, the time is fast approaching. Maki will need training. And Luke is our best bet."

"Can't you teach her Galen?"

Galen snorted, "Meldy, I haven't been a full time wizard for five years. And I haven't exactly been keeping up with my exercises." He sighed, "Peacetime has a way of messing with your drive to get stronger. I never fully completed my own training anyways. And I highly doubt he would want Maki following the Dark Side of the Force. Joshua never wished that path on anyone. Least of all the people he cared about."

Meldy nodded, "Well… I'll contact Luke. Get him to send someone or come himself."

"And I'll start getting back in shape." Galen replied, "I was unable to sense Maki's intentions just now. Either she's really good at masking them somehow, or I've really lost a step."

Meldy frowned, "You aren't just training so that you can keep an eye on Maki, are you?"

He shook his head and sat down beside his wife, "In my meditations, I kept sensing something. A darkness hiding on the fringes of the force. Slowly circling the light, without causing it any alarm. I could barely feel it myself. But…" He shook his head, "I did not like the feel of it. I've got a bad feeling about the future Meldy, and I want to be prepared for it."

Meldy nodded, "Then maybe you should contact Jellal. Start doing some jobs with him again. Besides, we could use the jewels."

"You know what… that's not a bad idea. You call Luke, I'll call Jellal. We need to get ahead of this situation before we are forced to simply react to it."

"Right."

Both rose to their feet and started towards the door. Beyond it, they could hear Nashi shout a whoop of excitment before they saw her whisk Maki out the door to train. Galen smirked a little.

He was very grateful to the Little Salamander. She kept Maki's life interesting. Gave her some experience in the world that she never would've gotten on her own. Galen had no doubts that her training with Nashi was going to serve her well in the future. As both he and Meldy walked towards the guild hall exit, Meldy turned to him.

"So… if Luke doesn't come. Who do you think he'll send to evaluate Maki?"

Galen shrugged, "Hopefully someone good. And not someone likely to cause trouble."

Meldy nodded, "I have a feeling we won't get our wish on that one."

"Knowing our luck, you are probably right."

….

Rain poured down from the dark clouds high over the crowded city. But despite the torrential downpour, beings of all shapes, sizes and colors continued on their nightly routine. They flooded the city streets. Choking the narrow roads and walkways with bodies as they all shuffled along.

In the middle of them all was a young teen with a brown hooded cloak neatly draped over his head and shoulders. His breath misted out in front of him as he walked in pace with the rest of the foot traffic. Several speeders whizzed by high over his head, signaling that the traffic lights of the speeder lanes that weaved between the skyscrapers had turned green. He glanced up momentarily at the whizzing lights of the various speeders zooming by above him before bowing his head once again to prevent the rain from drenching his young face.

A yawn escaped his lips. He was tired, very tired. Three straight days of constant movement had not done his body any favors. Thankfully, he was in the physical condition to be able to do all of this running around. If he was like some the fat slobs of that he had brushed shoulders with so far today, he would've keeled over from exhaustion three days ago.

Another loud yawn left him before he tilted his head side to side, feeling the knots in his muscles stretch, relax, then knot up once again. Despite his weariness, the boy was still on high alert. His eyes, the color of red wine, slowly scanned the faces as he walked by. He picked up on every little detail. Off to his right, a rather fat Toydarian was drunk and struggling to fly itself out of a bar. It's leathery wings beating against the wind in an uncoordinated struggle to stay off the ground. To his left was a Dug, strutting along on it's hands. In front were more aliens that when grouped together, blended into just looking like one collective mass. Every individual indistinguishable from the others.

That made his job incredibly difficult. He was hunting in a way. Searching for someone with valuable information. Or so he and his master were told. What they weren't told was that this particular person was a Changeling, a bounty hunter, and an all around nasty person to deal with. He and his master had spent the past three days tracking him. Following his movements, learning his behavioral patterns. At this point, he knew this guy's favorite drink. How he liked his women. What his preferred hang outs were likely to be.

His lips drew back into a smirk as he caught a glimpse of a purple neon sign. Beside the neon lights was a green neon light that continued to blink until the entire image was shown. A Twi'lek gripping a long pole.

 _Potential hang out spotted._ He thought as he wove his way across the soaked street towards the club he had spotted.

He quietly approached the door and was about to enter easily when a large, muscular Basilisk stopped him.

"Papers." The beefy alien rumbled.

"Why?"

Those reptilian eyes narrowed at him, "You look a little young for a joint like this?"

"You look a little light in the wallet to deny me." His hand held out twenty credits between his fingertips.

The besalisk looked at the credits then back up at him. One of the creature's massive arms snagged the credits.

"I don't know you're in there." The bouncer rumbled, "And if you get thrown out, you ain't getting back in."

He nodded, "Of course. Have a lovely night in the rain."

The Besalisk bouncer snarled as he slipped by him.

As soon as he passed through the doors, loud electronic music filled his ears. The sound built up higher and higher. Then his ribs rattled as a thunderous boom signaled a bass drop that sent the crowd dancing at the center of the club into a frenzy.

He paused at the top of the steps that led down to the dance floor. The entire floor was covered in bright lights that were constantly flashing multiple colors. It nearly overwhelmed his senses. He took a breath and gathered himself once again before studying the place.

The second floor was where the strippers and Twi'lek dancers were. This bottom floor was simply just a normal club. To the right of the dance floor was a large, horseshoe shaped bar. Every stool was occupied. At the far end of the room was the DJ, wearing a furry Wookie mask as he worked his magic for the crowd. The entire building was practically jumping up and down as the music thrummed all around him. He was the only one not enjoying himself. It was too loud for his tastes.

His eyes wandered as he caught a glimpse of a green skinned, scantily clad Twi'lek wave at him seductively. He lowered his hood and ran a hand through his short pink hair. He could feel his cheeks burning as she licked her lips. Just as he took a step forward he heard a crackle in his ears.

" _What do you think you're doing?"_

He snarled a curse under his breath before replying, "I'm hunting."

" _For the wrong thing it seems."_ His master's voice said in his ears, " _Remember your oath."_

"I know. I know." he grumbled before mouthing 'sorry' to the Twi'lek. He then quickly faded into the crowd. "You could let me have some fun for a change."

" _Not while we are on a mission."_

He sighed, "I know but… what is this mission anyways?" he whispered as he leaned up against a pillar, "I mean… what is the point of tracking this Changeling."

" _The council says he has important information. That is enough for you to know."_

"I gotta know more than that."

" _Why?"_

"What if I'm the one who actually catches him, not you."

" _Then I'll congratulate you and take over from there."_

He groaned, "C'mon! We've tracked this guy from Ord Mantell all the way here to Coruscant. You can at least tell me why."

" _It's on a need to know basis, Kento. Now focus. I sense you may be onto something."_

He blinked, "Wait seriously? You think I found the right place?"

" _Most likely. I'll make my way in eventually. Locate the target and attempt to apprehend."_

Kento nodded, "Ok… quick question Master."

" _Yes?"_

"How am I supposed to know what at Changeling looks like?"

There was silence on the other end of the comm for a moment.

" _I don't know."_

He smacked his forehead and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine. Leave me to fend for myself." He snarled.

" _How else will you learn, my stubborn student."_

Kento shook his head as he made his way to the bar. His master had gone silent, meaning that his master was on the move. He was on his own now.

When he reached the bar, he leaned up against the top and signaled the bartender.

"I'll have that one." He pointed at a strange red bottle.

The bartender, a scruffy human with long gray hair and thick gray beard raised an eyebrow.

"That one?"

Kento hesitated before nodding confidently, "Yeah. That one."

"That's pure Kashykian Brandy. Rather hard stuff for a teen."

Kento gulped but kept up his confident facade, "You know what they say old man. Go hard. Or go home."

Several of the other patrons lifted their glasses to his declaration before resuming their own drinking and conversations. The bartender simply shrugged and plucked the bottle from the shelf.

"Your funeral." He removed the cork and poured a small shot for Kento.

"Thanks." Kento replied before cringing at the overpowering scent.

" _I'm in. Where are-"_ He heard his master hiss, " _What do you think you are doing?"_

"Relax Master. I've got a plan."

" _To get drunk?"_

"You're making me want to." He grumbled away from his hidden comm before replying, "I'm trying to draw him out. If I can't recognize him then I can't find him. So, I'm going to make him come to me."

" _He doesn't know we are tracking him."_

"Are you certain of that master?"

Silence.

" _This is impulsive and risky...even for you."_

"Learned from the best." He smiled before tipping his head back and gulping down the shot.

His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. His dark pupils shrank. The liquor slipped down his throat, burning his esophagus as it traveled to his stomach. As soon as it reached his stomach, he could feel the acids beginning to churn as they struggled to deal with the toxin he had just gulped down. The muscles in his face clenched tightly and his eyes squeezed shut as he carefully set the shot glass down. He let out a long breath, feeling the aftertaste hit his tongue. It nearly made him vomit. He took another deep breath before sighing and opening his eyes.

Everyone was staring at him. Literally everyone. The other patrons at the bar gaped at the seventeen year old kid as he leaned up against the durasteel counter. He pursed his lips before nodding.

"Good stuff." He said with a wide smirk.

Raucous laughter filled the bar area as some of the patrons near him clapped him on the back. He hardly noticed it as he felt his head starting to swim. His vision began to blur just a little. And for some reason, he wanted to drink even more of that filth. Just before he could flag the bartender down for another shot, a slender hand snaked around his neck and petted his robed chest.

"Oh sweetheart, that was very impressive."

His red eyes glanced behind him to see a bombshell of a human female leaning up against him. His studious eyes quickly took in her gorgeous blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. There wasn't a single blemish on her face at all. Then his eyes wandered south to her- his cheeks flushed. A playful smile formed on his face.

"Wow… gifted huh?" He grinned stupidly.

The girl giggled, "Maybe a little."

" _Kento Marek, be cautious."_

"Shut up master." He giggled drunkenly.

"Oooh…" the girl cooed before leaning close to his ear, "So we are already at that stage of the relationship?"

Kento laughed stupidly before hiccuping, "If you want it to be."

She smiled seductively at him. Her red lips enthralling him as she spoke. He couldn't hear words any more. His entire mind was focused on those lips. Those ruby lips that seemed so red… too red. He peered closer at them.

"So red…" He said slowly as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. Without knowing, he leaned forward a bit too far and fell against the girl.

"Oh my!" She laughed with the other patrons, "A little too much for him in the end it seems." She cupped his face with her delicate hands, "Don't worry sweetie. We will go back to my place. And maybe… we can have a little fun."

"Ahahah, fun!" Kento snickered as the woman helped in towards the back door.

Through his drunken fog, he could just barely make out her hand pushing the back door to the club open. The pair stumbled out into a dirty alleyway. The rain had already drowned this portion of the street, making it so they had to slog through deep puddles of muck and water in order to move. But Kento didn't care. He had landed a girl! And he didn't even have to try.

Suddenly he felt himself get shoved against the durasteel wall of the club. At first, Kento thought this was all part of the experience.

"Ready to go huh?" he slurred as his head rolled from side to side uncontrollably.

Then he felt cold metal press against his forehead. All drunkenness instantly left him as his red eyes stared down the barrel of a blaster pistol. A very expensive, high tech blaster pistol.

"Why are you following me?" The woman snarled.

Kento's eyes widened as her skin and hair changed color. Now she was a tan human with jet black hair and chocolate brown eyes. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he realized just how screwed he was.

"Oh…" He said coldly, "It's you."

The barrel of the blaster pistol dug further into his forehead, "Answer my question, you little shit." Her finger hovered over the trigger, "Who are you? Why are you following me? And who do you work for?"

Kento gulped, "Well… my name is Kento Marek. I am a seventeen year old teenager. Born and raised here on Coruscant-"

"Cut the bullshit." She snapped at him.

He glared at her. This was the changeling they were tracking. He could've sworn it was a guy earlier. His eyes widened.

"Can you switch genders too?"

The creature's eyes narrowed, "What kind of fucking question is that? No! I'm asking the questions."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Kento saw a brief flash of movement in the shadows of the alleyway. A calming presence seeped out through the Force, quelling his anxiety and allowing him to relax as he stared down the barrel of a gun. He smirked. His master had found them. All he needed to do now was by his master a little bit of time.

"Well… it's a perfectly reasonable question." he continued with a slight slur, doing his best to sound drunk and irritated at the same time, "I don't wanna sleep with a dude after all."

The Changeling's eyes widened, "Why you little-" Her voice suddenly deepened, "Are all my forms not good enough for you."

Kento stared wide eyed at her, him, whatever it was.

"Um… yeah. No." He whipped his head over to the shadows, "A little help!"

The Changeling twirled towards the dark corner of the alley and fired her blaster. Just as her finger squeezed the trigger, Kento heard the deadly hiss of a lightsaber being activated. A sapphire blade burst to life in the alley, illuminating the figure of his master. In one fluid motion, his master deflected the blaster bolt right back at the Changeling's shoulder. It was a perfect deflection. Expertly aimed, flawlessly executed.

Their target screamed in pain and fell back on the ground. Kento moved swiftly and pressed his boot down against the wrist of her blaster hand.

"Cooperate and it won't get nasty." he growled.

"Kento Marek." The even toned voice of his master started, "We have to chat."

Kento groaned before he kicked the blaster from the target's hands and stepped off of her wrist, "Don't move a muscle." he ordered before turning to face the figure stepping out of the shadows.

As the blue lightsaber was sheathed, Kento could finally see his master. Just like him, his master wore a dark brown cloak over the body with a hood drawn over the head. But unlike him, his master didn't wear the traditional robes of a Jedi Knight. Instead, she wore a set of archaic steel armor with a strange cross and heart symbol on it. With the steel armor she wore a blue skirt and long black boots. Her gauntlet covered hands reached up to her hood and drew it back, revealing striking scarlet hair and deadly brown eyes.

"Do we have to talk Master? Can't it wait until after all of this?" Kento groaned as their target backed itself up against the wall.

"No," Erza Scarlet sighed, "We can talk right now." She shook her head as she approached him, hands on her hips, "Just what were you thinking in there?"

"Hey! I had everything under control."

"It didn't look like it when I got here." She replied firmly, "Kento listen to me-"

"Not this lecture again!"

"You need to stop being so impulsive. Think before you act." Erza said calmly. She then tapped the side of her head, "This has a purpose. It's not just for you to remember how to crush something with the force or how to dismember a being with a lightsaber. This is used to-"

"To rationalize and make important judgement calls, yes I know. I've heard this lecture… I think this is the twentieth time now."

"It's getting close to that mark isn't it." Erza sighed as she shook her head.

The target started to inch away a little as she heard the two freaks arguing. Erza's gaze snapped towards it.

"Don't. Move. Another. Muscle." she snarled.

The Changeling gulped and swiftly nodded as she could feel the woman's threatening gaze upon her.

"Can't we finish this when we aren't on a mission?" Kento asked, his eyes begging her to shut up.

Erza frowned and crossed her arms over her breastplate. She sighed and shrugged, "Very well. But you are not weaseling out of it this time."

"Yes master." Kento muttered.

"Now then," Erza turned to the Changeling, "I do believe you have some information for us."

The changeling gulped as the woman slowly stalked towards her. For some reason, she felt very afraid of the scarlet haired woman. The gaze she gave it did not help matters. A small squeal escaped it's lips as it shrank from Erza's dominating presence.

"Now talk." Erza growled.

The Changeling didn't just talk. It sang.

….

He stood quietly in the large conference room, his blue eyes gazing out of the large windows and out into the jungle that surrounded the ancient temple. Luke Skywalker was the first to arrive in the council chambers this morning. He was always the first to arrive in the council chambers in the morning. But considering the fact that his Jedi council only consisted of five members, he was never surprised to find himself alone in the peaceful chambers.

The council chambers on Yavin 4 were starkly different from the ones he had seen at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Here, the council chambers seemed warm, inviting, everyone felt like an equal when entering this room. On Coruscant, the council chambers almost felt oppressing. The many chairs that encircled him as he stood in the center of the empty chambers made him feel stressed. He could only imagine what it would've been like for a young padawan to have to stand there and face the judgement of the Jedi Masters. So, Luke did everything he could to make his council chambers the complete opposite of Coruscant's.

Instead of a circle, it was a square. Chairs lined the walls while a large fire pit rested at the center of the room. Above him, the roof could open up, allowing natural air and sunlight in from the jungle around them. The design seemed right to him. It felt like it would help them all connect to nature a little more. And therefore, connect to the Force a little more. With how slow the rebuild of the Jedi Order was taking, every advantage helped.

The wooden doors to the council chambers creaked open. A Togrutan woman with long, gray and white headtails hobbled in. Her weight resting on a cane as her leg limped along. Luke looked over at her with sympathy. That old wound from so long ago still bothered her.

"Good morning, Ahsoka."

"Morning Luke." Ahsoka Tano replied as she eased into her seat, "What's on the agenda for today?"

"We have to wait on the others first."

"Bah," Ahsoka waved a hand, "They snooze they lose. I wanna know already."

Luke chuckled, "We're Jedi remember. We are supposed to be patient."

"I'm only a Jedi because I agreed to help you rebuild the order, remember?" Ahsoka reminded, "I never said anything about conforming to the old ideology."

"And I never asked you to. I prefer to leave that code behind, but… some of our more elderly members really do cling to it."

"Master Kota?" Ahsoka inquired.

"Yes him." Luke sighed, "That old bastard is going to make my own hair go gray with how strict he is. He makes me feel uptight just by being around him."

Master Rahm Kota was one of the few surviving Jedi Luke had managed to find in the aftermath of the battle on Earthland. The old Jedi was hiding out on a remote moon deep in the outer rim. Far away from the rest of the galaxy. But despite his isolation and the tragedy that had happened in his long life, he clung to the old Jedi code with tremendous zeal. The rhetoric he spouted always managed to give Luke a headache.

Ahsoka chuckled, "That's just how he is Luke. Trust me, in the old order, there were far worse."

"I find that very hard to believe."

"Well you better believe it."

The doors creaked open again. This time, an elderly human male shuffled in. He wore dark grey robes and had his long, white hair tied back in a high ponytail. A short goatee lined his chin while the rest of his face was covered in lines and wrinkles.

"Good morning Master Skywalker." Luke nodded to the old man. The man then bowed to Ahsoka, "Master Tano."

"Morning Rahm." Ahsoka replied casually before yawning, "Now we are just waiting on the last two right?"

Luke nodded while he unconsciously scratched his slowly growing beard, "Yeah. One is never a guarantee to show up."

"Quin?"

"Yeah." Luke sighed.

"My opposite you mean." Jedi Master Rahm Kota stated stiffly as he sat down in his own chair.

"Yeah him." Luke stated, "Then-"

The doors burst open. As they flew inwards, a pink haired teen with eyes the color of red wine marched in. And right behind him was a perfectly calm Erza Scarlet.

"Master Scarlet!" Rahm Kota smiled in greeting, "I hope your mission was successful."

"In a way it was." Erza then glared over at Kento who bowed his head as he stood next to the table.

"What did he do this time, Erza?" Ahsoka asked as she folded her hands.

"Nothing that I haven't already scolded him on before." Erza replied, "Sit down Kento."

"Yes master." Her quickly replied before taking a seat.

Ahsoka snickered as she watched the boy glumly sit.

"Oh she laid into you this time didn't she?"

Kento shrugged, "I got yelled at, sure."

Luke blinked, "You actually yelled at him Erza."

"No, he is highly exaggerating. He has never actually seen me get to the point of yelling before." Erza glared at Kento, "And he better pray he never does."

Rahm Kota chuckled, "Your calm demeanor can strike more fear into the heart of a crazy idiot like him than any sort of yelling. And I love you for that!"

"I appreciate the compliment." Erza replied as she took her seat with the other council members. She glanced around and noticed only four were present, "Quin's late again?"

"More likely he's drunk again." Ahsoka commented.

"And in the arms of some whore as well probably." Rahm said with disgust.

"That wouldn't surprise me at all." Luke sighed before wiping his eyes, "Alright, we'll just have to continue without him for now."

"Fine by me." Erza stated as she shifted her weight and requipped into soft, cream colored robes. Perfect for a rainy day on Yavin 4.

"How'd the mission go, Erza?" Luke asked.

"It went fairly well. Better than most, but worse than some." Erza replied, "We spent three days trying to track down the target before finally catching it."

"It?" Rahm raised an eyebrow.

Ahsoka glanced at a holographic report that popped up out of the armrest of her chair. She let out a low whistle, "A Changeling huh?" Erza nodded, "You two definitely had your hands full then. The fact that you managed to catch it at all shows how great you two are as a team. How'd you do it?"

"Actually, Kento did most of the work." Erza said.

"I did?" Kento mumbled.

"Yes you did. You lured the changeling out with your antics. And it made it easier on us to catch it."

"Antics?" Luke asked.

"He had a drink at a strip club."

"He did what!?" Rahm Kota exclaimed. Completely appalled by what Erza just said.

"Anyways," Erza continued without skipping a beat, "We have some rather… interesting information to share."

Erza's hand tapped the controls on her armrest and a large hologram of the galaxy came to life at the center of the table. Just before she could speak thought, she looked at Kento.

"Time for you to leave." she said.

"Aw come on!"

"Kento."

"Fine!" Kento rose from his seat, bowed to the Jedi Masters and quickly left the room. When he shut the door, Erza waited a couple seconds before glancing at the door.

"No eavesdropping!"

"KRIFF!" Kento exclaimed before storming away from the doors.

Luke chuckled as he watched Erza let out a weary sigh, "Is he getting the better of you now?"

"God he makes raising Joshua look like a cakewalk." Erza groaned as she rubbed her temples, "At least with Joshua, I didn't have to deal with the teenage years."

Luke smiled sadly along with Ahsoka. Meanwhile, Rahm Kota looked slightly puzzled. He had heard the name Joshua Scarlet a few times over the years. But he never knew his connection to Luke, Ahsoka, and Erza, other than he was somehow related to the powerful red haired Jedi Master. When he had inquired about him with Erza, he remembered her nearly tearing up a little before simply saying he died a long time ago. He didn't press the issue anymore after that.

"So… back on topic." Ahsoka clasped her hands together, "What did you find out?"

Erza nodded and highlighted the northeastern portion of the map.

"Our Changeling was in fact a bounty hunter employed by Black Sun." Erza started, "They have been recently contracted to handle guarding a vast movement of ships from Taris down the Hydian Way past Telos. Apparently, the pay is ridiculously big."

"How big?" Ahsoka asked.

"Three million per bounty hunter."

Ahsoka's jaw dropped, "Luke, I think I got into the wrong line of work."

"Well, you have a different mindset than our changeling then." Erza noted, "That large amount of money actually scared it off. It said that no contract is worth that much if they actually expect you to survive. It pulled out of Black Sun's operation just as we found it on Coruscant."

"Who in the world has that many credits in their bankroll?" Rahm wondered aloud.

"Who else but the Empire?" Ahsoka said with a scowl.

"The Empire is long dead." Rahm Kota replied, "It's impossible for them to have that many credits during this stage of their decline. I don't even think they occupy a single world anymore. So how can they gather that many resources." He shook his head, "I sense a new power at play in the galaxy."

"Well we cannot know for certain yet." Luke replied, "It's dangerous to sense too far ahead like that. Let's play this by ear. I'm sure Quinlan will be more than happy to go skulking around the Black Sun headquarters for a couple weeks."

"With him, it'll be months." Ahsoka said.

"He has to whore himself away while he works after all." Rahm Kota grumbled.

"Is there anything else Erza?" Luke asked.

"Yes actually. I learned of the bounty hunter's new contract. A small job for a very wealthy Mandalorian family. The Wren family to be more precise." Erza set her jaw, "Apparently, it was tasked with gathering information on the Jedi Order for the Wren family."

That got Luke's undivided attention, "Mandalore is investigating us?"

"It'd make sense." Rahm Kota shrugged, "The Jedi order and Mandalore do not exactly have a great history together." He rubbed his chin, "The Wren clan eh? That's a powerful family. Probably second to the ruling Kryze family."

Erza nodded, "That's why I found that worth bringing up here today. I wasn't sure what to make of it at the time."

"I say we play this one slow and safe." Ahsoka advised, "Mandalore is not to be trifled with. And we do not have the sway in the galaxy that the old order had. We need to be careful."

"I agree." Luke nodded. He looked at Rahm, "Still, we need to send someone to investigate. You know a lot about Mandalorian and Jedi history. Right?"

The eldest Jedi master nodded.

"Do you mind going to Mandalore for a few days."

"Not at all Master Skywalker."

"Thank you Rahm." Luke tapped his armrest and the galaxy map switched off, "I'll make sure Master Vos knows about his new assignment."

"Do Kento and I have a new mission at all, Luke?" Erza asked.

Luke pursed his lips, "Actually Erza, you do not. Well, it kind of is a new mission and kind of isn't."

Erza arched an eyebrow, "I don't follow."

Luke gulped and sent the data over to Erza's seat. She quickly tapped a few buttons on the armrest and pulled up the mission report. Her brown eyes scanned it over real quick before she closed the report and shot Luke a nasty stare.

"You can't do this?"

Luke shook his head, "The students need me here."

Erza frowned and shook her head, "I don't want to go back there Luke. There is… way too much pain there."

"It'll only be for a couple days. A week tops." Luke replied.

"May I ask where this place is?" Rahm asked, concerned by the sudden caution Erza was exhibiting.

Normally she was very excited about taking on new missions. Her excitement was far more reserved than her student's, but she still acted like a padawan learner about to embark on their first intergalactic protection detail. She always left a smile on her lips and a gleam in her eye. Ready to the see the mission through. Never in the sixteen years Rahm Kota had known Erza Scarlet did she ever want to turn down an assignment.

Erza sighed and rose from her seat.

"You owe me, Luke." She grumbled.

"I'll have the strawberry cake ready for you when you get back."

"Master Scarlet? Where are you and Kento going?" Rahm inquired again before glancing at Luke, "Why doesn't she want to go there?"

"I'm going home, Master Kota." Erza replied as she reached the door and pushed it open, "I'm going home."

 **And chapter! Tada! Maki just unlocked the Force in a very unique way. I wonder where she got her talent for illusions from? I'll let you guys try to figure that one out. And we have be introduced to Kento Marek and reintroduced to Jedi Master Erza Scarlet. I'm super excited for the next few chapters!**

 **Also, I'm considering doing a spin off of this story. It'd take place in the years after the Battle of Earthland. Mainly following Erza and Luke as they rebuild the Jedi Order and destroy the remnants of the Empire. Let me know what you guys think about that.**

 **As always, I hope you guys enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	7. Rampage

**Hello everyone! I apologize for the delay. I'm crazy busy with work during the week and I had to work this past saturday too. So I did not have time to write, but I had time to plan out the story a little more. But now, I have time to write. So here's a new chapter! Enjoy everyone!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 7

Rampage

As soon as the first beep sounded in her sensitive ears, Maki Marvell jerked awake and slammed her hand down on the most hated machine in the house. Normally, waking up was a chore for her. She hated being up early. Mornings were not her friend. But this morning was different. In the words of her Aunt Meldy, this was a big day. This was the day. The day of the S-class exams. And Maki could not afford to be late.

Her hazel eyes glanced at the red electronic numbers of her alarm clock.

 _Six thirty._ She thought before yawning, stretching her limbs and crawling out from under her covers. Her tired legs carried her to her closet mirror where she took a quick peek at her reflection.

A lot had changed in the past month. Before Maki was not the healthiest looking person in the world. She wasn't bad looking by any means. But she wasn't a bombshell like Nashi. Now however… Maki smiled a little at herself as she rubbed her flat stomach and flexed her arms ever so slightly. Hours of training every day with Nashi had transformed her. She looked athletic, she felt healthy, at times she felt nearly invincible. Another yawn escaped her lips before she quickly grabbed a towel from the closet and walked to the bathroom.

The hot water that cascaded over her felt like a gift from heaven. Especially when it came this early in the morning. When she stepped out of the shower and looked into the foggy bathroom mirror she didn't look tired anymore. She looked fresh, ready to go. An actual smile on her face. Then she noticed something. A closer looked at her hair showed several strands of dark blue peaking out from her black locks.

 _Dammit all._ She thought as she opened a cabinet and searched for a box of black hair dye.

It was a useless search. The box she finally found after several minutes, was empty. With a growl, she tossed it into the trash can and crossed her arms over her chest. Her fingers looped around the strands of blue hair that were appearing at the ends of her long hair.

 _Maybe I should cut it?_ She thought again as she looked at the blue color with disdain. But she decided against such a drastic course of action. Cutting it would only make the blue colored hair come back in larger clumps. She'd just get a new box of hair dye after the exams were finished.

She quickly finished her morning ritual which consisted of brushing her teeth, brushing the knots out of her long hair, and selecting the right outfit. When she finally stepped out of her room she noticed her Aunt and Uncle waiting for her in at the dining table. As usual, Uncle Galen had the daily paper spread out in front of him as well as a steaming cup of coffee. And as usual, her aunt was fussing about in the kitchen, most likely baking something that smelled decadent and most likely tasted absolutely delicious.

As Maki entered the kitchen, both her Aunt and Uncle stopped what they were doing. Maki arched an eyebrow before smiling a little as her Aunt opened a cabinet and pulled a large lunchbox out and handed it to Maki.

"This has all of your favorites." Her Aunt stated with a smile, "And I made sure to pack extra apple slices. Oh! And some matches for Nashi."

Maki chuckled, "Thanks Aunt Meldy."

Meldy quickly hugged her niece, "You better be careful young lady."

"I will be."

Meldy pulled away and sniffled before nodding to Galen, "Your uncle has something for you."

Maki glanced surprised at her Uncle Galen as he came striding over to her. He pulled out a box wrapped in blue paper. A large red bow on top.

"A late birthday present." He smiled.

Maki starred wide eyed at him before hesitantly taking the box and unwrapping it. Inside was a black hooded cloak. It didn't look new. It looked a little worn. Several areas were stitched together while others were faded slightly. Maki looked uncertainly at Galen.

"Th-thanks?"

Galen laughed a little before pursing his lips, "That cloak… was one of your father's."

Maki's jaw fell open. With trembling hands, she carefully placed the box and down on the kitchen counter and gently pulled the cloak from it. Her hands carefully gripped the fabric, as if she was terrified that a single touch could tear it. She slowly unfurled it and held the black fabric out in front of her.

"We um… we had it cleaned for you. And stitched up some of the rougher areas." Her Aunt smiled, "But… we figured that since you were asking a lot of questions about him and now that you are-" she gulped, "are almost a grown woman, it may be time to talk to you about your father."

Maki stared stunned at both of her guardians.

"I-I don't know what to say." Maki breathed.

"You don't have to say anything for now." Galen smiled, "Just put that old rag on and get to the guildhall. When you come back, we will talk about your father."

Maki's lips widened into a large grin. She eagerly slipped her arms into the cloak and wrapped the surprisingly warm cloth around her. It smelled strange. Like a mixture of laundry detergent, old dust, and exhaust. But to Maki, it was somehow comforting. It made the anxiety she was already feeling today fade away. She rolled her shoulders, feeling the soft, roomy article of clothing shift around her like a large blanket. Then she threw her arms around her Uncle Galen.

"Thank you." She muttered while hugging her Uncle.

"No problem kid." Galen replied, "Now get going, before you are late."

"Aye sir!" Maki smiled before rushing out the door.

When the door closed shut behind her niece, Meldy glanced at Galen.

"Do you think that was a good idea?"

"What?"

"Giving her his cloak, do you still think that it is a good idea?"

Galen sighed and walked back to his seat at the dining table, "We cannot hide it from her forever Meldy. I'm starting to realize this. The more I'm around Maki, the more I feel the Force flowing around her. Flowing through her. She's becoming a damn conduit if I've ever seen one. It's slow, but that is what she is becoming. Eventually, she will have to learn. Better she learns from us than learns on her own and gets hurt."

Meldy nodded and sat down beside her husband, "She's really going to be that powerful?"

Galen nodded before sipping on his coffee, "I have no doubts about it."

….

"What do you mean he isn't coming!?" Mira shouted as she sat in her office at the guildhall.

Across her desk stood a gruff man with wild, long black hair. His body was covered in a black tunic with the sleeves torn off. Dark, narrow eyes stared back at Mira. And as she stared back at him, she could see her reflection in the iron studs that lined his nose and eyes.

"I mean exactly what I said, She-Devil." He replied.

Mira scowled at the man standing in front of her. She did not appreciate it when a guild mate called her that.

"So, do you know where he is?" Mira asked, her teeth grating as she spoke.

The man shrugged, "I don't got a clue where Salamander is."

The white haired guild master sighed wearily and buried her face in her hands, "Gajeel!" she groaned, "I gave you specific orders to bring him back with you."

Gajeel Redfox snorted, "Yeah, like that was going to happen. Why don't you try telling Salamander what to do? We'll see how well that goes for ya."

Mira glared dangerously at the wild haired man who recoiled a little bit. A slight smirk crossed Mira's lips as she saw the slight twinge of fear in the Iron Dragon Slayer. She may be a little older than when they first met. But she was no less powerful. And her strength could still put the fear of god in Gajeel, even if it was only slightly. After a second of glaring at the insufferable man, Mira nodded and rose to her feet.

"Very well then," She sighed, "We will have to proceed without him." She walked around her desk towards the door, but stopped beside Gajeel, "Did he at least tell you why he refused to come?"

"Yeah, he's got a fresh lead."

Mira froze, "A fresh lead? What is it? Where?"

"There have been reports of random disappearances out on the eastern Fiore border. Very similar circumstances to when Wendy vanished." Gajeel explained quietly, "Salamander wanted to check them out right away."

Mira nodded, "He thinks he might have a way of finding Wendy?"

Gajeel shrugged again, "I don't know what goes through that pyromaniac's head. All I know, is that when I talked to him, he was adamant about checking this lead out. Says he had a gut feeling or something like that."

"More than likely it was just bad fish from the night before." Mira sighed.

Gajeel laughed, "Gihi! Most likely."

"But… if he really thinks he has found something, then he should pursue it." Mira gripped the doorknob, "But, I'm worried that this will end in just more disappointment for him."

"It probably will." Gajeel replied, folding his powerful arms across his chest, "But he ain't giving up. Says he made a promise and he plans on keeping it."

"He says that every time. And still, nothing." Mira closed her eyes, "Maybe… maybe it's time to call it."

Gajeel narrowed his eyes at the guild master, "Hey, until we either find her or her body, the search continues. Got it!?"

Mira reluctantly nodded, "Got it. But…" Her thoughts drifted to a pink haired girl who had been excitedly telling everyone in the guild about her father's return from his missions, "Nashi is going to be so disappointed."

Gajeel frowned and said nothing as Mira opened the door to her office. He followed her out onto the balcony that overlooked the main dining hall. It was empty except for a small group that had gathered around a couple of tables near the stage and four other adults standing on the balcony. Mira and Gajeel silently drew up beside a shirtless Gray Fullbuster. The Ice mage was lazily puffed on a cigarette as he casually leaned against the railing of the balcony.

"So he really isn't coming?" Gray asked.

Mira shook her head.

"Can we ask why?" Levy inquired as she shut the book she had been reading.

"Decade quest business. Out of your depth." Mira replied.

"Out of our depth!?" Gray exclaimed, "I'll have you know I'm in the running for the open wizard saints position."

"I'm well aware Gray." Mira retorted, "But I also feel the need to point out that if Natsu wasn't such an impulsive idiot he would've received a wizard saint jacket years ago. So yes, what he is doing now is beyond your skill. Therefore, it is not something you need to know."

"And let me guess," Laxus frowned, "What Natsu is doing involves impulsive decisions and idiotic thinking?"

Gray snorted out a wry laugh before taking a long puff on his cigarette, "Most likely." He sighed he breathed the smoke out of his mouth.

Mira sighed, "Well… you both are right on that one."

"I knew it." Levy frowned while shaking her head, "We will be one short for monitoring the candidate's progress."

"Don't worry about it." Gajeel smiled as he wrapped his arms around his petite wife, "It ain't like Cana needs someone watching out for her."

Levy grinned before craning her neck to kiss her husband, "I suppose you're right."

"Get a room you two." Gray teased while shoving Gajeel's shoulder.

"Eh! You're just jealous you can't have a moment like this with Juvia."

"I can and I have!" Gray retorted while tossing away his now used cigarette butt, "Just not in public."

"Don't want to lose cool points eh Ice Boy?" Laxus joked.

"Call me that again Sparky, and I'll show you how cool I can get!" Gray growled.

"Would both of you knock it off." Mira sighed while massaging her temples, "You are supposed to set the example for the candidates."

"We are." Laxus replied.

Mira cast the lightning mage a dangerous glare before moving away from the railing, "It's time to get this how on the road."

Mirajane strode down the steps towards the stage. Her eyes scanned the faces, just to make sure everyone was there. She saw Storm and his partner, an orange haired man wearing a slick black suit and shades. She smirked as she saw that familiar face.

 _Loke._ She thought.

Her gaze then fell upon the two at the front, Dash and Rocko. Both smugly grinned at her as they leaned back in their seats. Confidence reeked from them. They were so certain of their victory. Mira couldn't help but laugh at them. They had no idea what they were in for. If they walked up to Gildarts this overconfident, then they would get thrashed. No doubts about it.

Next she saw Ellen Redfox. The shy girl was sitting in the back of the crowd, her spectacles staring down at her feet as she sat by herself. Beside her was her partner, Pantherlily. The old Exceed had a small sword strapped to his back, making him look far fiercer than his current form should've allowed.

A few seats in front of Ellen was Asuka Connell and her partner, Max Alors, a longtime family friend who agreed to help Asuka achieve S-class. He was a master of sand magic and could've made a fine S-class mage himself when he was younger. But now, he was content with instructing the younger mages of the guild as well as taking a job or two on occasion.

Beside Max sat Cana Alberona. A large bottle of whiskey was in her right hand while her left hand absently shuffled a deck of cards. There was no partner to be foudn beside her.

 _She must be going at it alone._ Mira thought.

Finally, she saw the last candidate The one that intrigued her the most. Nashi Dragneel and her partner, Maki Marvell. The pair sat close together in a booth near the stage, with Nashi facing the stage and Maki facing away from it. Both were whispering excitedly to each other. Mira smiled warmly in their direction. If there was one she was really hoping would make S-class it would be Nashi. The girl was not only a prodigy at magic, but she had the heart of a Fairy Tail wizard. Her parents were no doubt proud of her.

Mira stopped at the center of the stage and cleared her throat. With a wide smile on her face she waved to the candidates.

"Hi everyone! Who's ready to begin?"

….

"I don't understand Maki." Nashi sighed as she walked alongside the pier beside her friend.

"What do you not understand?" Maki groaned as she folded up a map and placed it in the backpack that she had with her.

"Why are we starting in Hargeon?"

"Becuase Nashi, we need to gather information about this Gildarts guy first. Hargeon is a very busy port city. People travel from hundreds of miles around to come here. If there is anyone who may know what the Gildarts guy looks like, they'd be here."

Nashi nodded, "Gotcha. But… how do we find that person?"

Maki shrugged as they turned a corner and walked away from the busy pier and into the busy streets of Hargeon.

"Just ask around I suppose."

"Ask around?" Nashi smacked a fist into her palm, eliciting a small spark of fire as she did so, "Easy enough! I know just where to start!"

Maki arched an eyebrow, "And where would that be?"

"Well, we know one thing about Gildarts." Nashi stated as she started walking backwards beside Maki, "His daughter is Cana Alberona. So… I'm thinking, like father like daughter."

Maki nodded and began to smile, "You think he's an alcoholic too."

"Exactly!" Nashi snapped her fingers, "So, we just have to do some bar hopping."

"One problem with that."

"What?"

"We aren't old enough to get into a bar!" Maki exclaimed.

Nashi grinned, "A problem that can easily be solved," She reached into her own backpack and yanked out a sack of jewels, "With a little jewel."

Maki stared stunned at her friend, "This is really devious of you. I like it!"

"I knew you would!" Nashi cheered, "So, where should we start?"

Maki pursed her lips and looked at the many different signs on the buildings. There were a lot of restaurants, bars, and taverns in Hargeon. Such a busy port city needed the amenities to support a large population. And no matter where you traveled in Fiore, there would always be a bar in the nearby town. It just so happened that Hargeon had a lot. Maki tapped her finger to her lips and decided to go with the first one she saw.

"That one." Maki pointed at a sign that read 'The Magic Circle'.

"That one?" Nashi raised an eyebrow as she looked at the rundown, wooden building. Pain peeled from the wooden panels and the door was crooked, "No offense Maki, but I don't' think a drinking enthusiast like Gildarts would go to a place like this."

"And you know that how?" Maki asked.

Nashi narrowed her eyes, "Touche."

"C'mon! Let's check this place out!"

The two girls crossed the busy street and strode up to the doors of The Magic Circle. When they reached the rickety old door they paused, each taking a deep breath. They could already smell the stench of booze and stink coming from the inside. Nashi and Maki recoiled a little at the scent. But both then steeled their resolve and shoved the door open.

The inside of The Magic Circle was easy to describe. It was a complete dump. The wooden floors were slick with spilt beer and liquor. Several of the tables and chairs had been upturned or reduced to wooden splinters. Evidence of a brawl that had taken place just moments ago. Several of the patrons in the bar were already passed out on the floor, sleeping in their own filth and drink. Then there was the lone man sitting on a wooden stool at the bar counter.

He was an older man. A mane of long brown hair cascaded down to his shoulders. A few streaks of gray could be seen hiding in the thick brown locks. His body was covered by a tattered black cloak with shoulder plates and he sported a thick but neat beard. Maki and Nashi gulped then hesitantly approached the lone conscious patron. Maki decided to sit to the man's right. Nashi to his left. Maki glanced at Nashi as the man sipped on a tall mug of beer. Then Nashi opened her mouth.

"HIYA!" She shouted, startling the man and causing him to spit his beer out of his mouth.

"Good lord, who the hell shouts at a man trying to enjoy a drink?" He grumbled before looking at Nashi. As soon as he laid sight on Nashi though, his demeanor changed from irritated to intrigued. His eyes darted from Nashi's face to her ample chest, then back up again, "Well… _hello_ there. And who might you be?"

Behind him, Maki face palmed and shook her head.

"I'm a wizard on a job." Nashi smiled innocently.

"Oh really!" The man grinned, "What kind of job?"

"A searching job." Nashi replied, "I'm supposed to find some guy named Gildarts. Do you know where you can find him?"

 _Nashi, for the love of God, be more subtle!_ Maki screamed internally.

The man chortled and sipped on his beer again, "Your job is to find some guy named Gildarts?" He glanced over at Maki, "Is this true?"

Maki gulped then nodded, "Y-yeah."

The man chuckled again then chugged his beer, "Well then, you all are in luck."

Maki's eyes widened, "You know who Gildarts Clive is!?"

The man nodded, "Sure do. I've met him. And I know where he is right now."

"Really!?" Nashi exclaimed.

Neither girl could believe their luck. The first person they talked to today and he had the information they were looking for. It was too good to be true. Maki's grin faded. This was way too good to be true.

"What's the catch?" Maki asked warily.

"Catch?"

"Yeah, obviously you want something in return for giving us this information." Maki replied, "Otherwise you would've told us what we needed to know already."

The man nodded and leaned back in his stool, "You're one smart girl. Not particularly good looking." Maki's hair shadowed out her face as her confidence was absolutely destroyed, "But smart. And I can appreciate that."

"I'm plenty good looking." Maki mumbled as she self consciously ran over a list of personal flaws in her mind.

"So, what do you want in return?" Nashi asked with a smile.

"Oh well… you two seem to be very _fun._ " He grinned flirtatiously at Nashi, "Perhaps we can go back to my hotel room?"

Maki's eyes widened. Then a sly grin appeared on her face, "Oh but, you don't even know our names."

The man nodded, "That's right! I don't, do I? Well, can you tell me?"

Maki nodded, her inner self grinning maliciously, "My name is Maki Marvell."

"Marvell eh?"

"Uhuh."

"Why are you acting like you're supposed to be famous then?"

"Guh wha uh-" Maki bowed her head in shame.

The man swiveled to looked at Nashi, "And how about you beautiful? What's your name?"

Nashi smiled sweetly, "Nashi Dragneel."

The man's eyes widened to the size of saucers and his pupils shrank. His lips quickly puckered and sweat began to bead on his forehead.

"D-did you j-just say Dragneel?"

"Yup!" Nashi grinned.

The man began to shake a little bit. His hand trembled as he set his beer mug down on the bar countertop.

"K-kid, who's your old man?"

"Old man? Um… do you mean my dad?"

"Y-yeah."

"Oh! You probably have heard of him." Nashi beamed, "He's the Salamander, Natsu Dragneel."

"WHAT THE FUCK!" The man exclaimed before leaping from his seat and sprinting out of the bar. Meanwhile, Nashi stared puzzled as the door swung back and forth.

"Um… I'm confused."

"I'm destroyed." Maki mumbled as she rested her forehead on the bar counter.

"Maki, who was that guy?"

"Don't know… don't care." Maki grumbled, "Am I pretty Nashi?"

Nashi's hand thundered down on Maki, smacking her hard across the cheek and snapping the gloomy girl out of her self conscious haze.

"Focus Maki!" nashi shouted as she gripped Maki's shoulders and shook her, "We need to find that guy! He had our information!"

"Information on who?" The bartender asked as he finally walked over to the two girls.

"Gildarts Clive." Nashi replied quickly.

The bartender snorted out a laugh, "Girl, you're dumber than a rock." He pointed at the still swinging door, "That was Gildarts Clive."

Maki and Nashi's eyes widened.

"It was?" Maki mumbled.

The bartender nodded, "Have fun catching him girls."

Both Maki and Nashi stared at each other, questioning how they could be so lucky yet so dumb at the same time. Without another word, the pair jumped from their bar stools. Nashi accidentally setting hers on fire as they raced out of the bar and out into the busy road.

"Do you smell him Nashi?" Maki asked.

"Oh you bet I do!" Nashi took a long whiff of the air, "He's heading for the docks!"

"Let's move then! Before the others find him!"

"AYE!"

The two sprinted out the rickety wooden door and into the crowded street. All around them, people were moving. In the center of the cobblestone streets, carts full of goods and magic mobiles rumbled past them. Maki frantically scanned the crowd of people, searching for Gildart's distinctive long hair. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of brown hair slip into an alley across the busy road.

"That way!" She pointed.

"I smell him!" Nashi barked as the two took off across the street, weaving through traffic and waving unapologetically at angry drivers.

As they reached the alley, several workers were moving a ladder down the sidewalk. Maki's eyes widened and she tucked her body into a roll, narrowly dodging the ladder as she slipped under it before jumping back up to her feet and continuing her pursuit. Behind her Nashi vaulted over the ladder, causing the workers to drop it. As they angrily shouted at them, Nashi shouted a quick apology before running into a trash can.

"Pay attention Nashi!" Maki called back as she turned right to exit the alley and re-enter the busy streets of Hargeon.

"Shut it!" Nashi shouted back.

Just as the two reached the end of the alley a loud voice rang out over the sounds of traffic.

" **Water Make: Wall!"**

A massive column of water shot up from the ground, forcing Maki and Nashi to skid to a stop or else they would be launched into the air by the high pressure water.

"Dammit all!" Nashi bellowed as the wall of water closed off their way out. Through the crystal clear liquid, she could see a blue haired teen with his orange haired partner waving to them.

"Sorry Nashi." Storm Fullbuster smirked as he turned to give chase on Gildarts, "But Storm is going to make S-class this year. Not you."

Nashi didn't blush this time, she balled up a fist and shook it like a club.

"Not before me, Water hose!"

"Water hose?" Maki arched an eyebrow.

"It's the best I could come up with."

"Whatever you say, ash brains." Storm chuckled before running after Gildarts. The orange haired man in the suit winked at both Nashi and Maki before taking off after his partner. An action that made Maki's blood boil.

"I don't like that guy!" Maki snarled.

"Which one? Cause I'm not liking both right now." Nashi frowned before approaching the wall of water, "Will this thing ever come down?"

"It may have a time limit of some sort?" Maki rubbed her chin, "Can't you heat it till it evaporates."

Nashi shook her head, "That'd take too long. I'd have to get all of that water to boil first. Add in the fact that it's all moving… it won't be easy and it'll put us way behind." She stomp her foot, "Damn you Storm Fullbuster!"

"Alright, so evaporating the water won't work." Maki frowned, "We'll have to go back around."

"By the time we do that we'll have lost them!" Nashi exclaimed.

"It's not like we have any other options."

Nashi's face fell, "Fair point…" She huffed, "Alright, let's double back."

The pair began to race back down the alleyway. When they came to the corner that they turned at, Maki smelled two new scents approaching them fast. Way too fast.

"Nashi?"

"Maki look out!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a large rock rushing towards her head. Maki jerked her head out of the way, but she wasn't able to dodge the attack. The projectile buried itself between her shoulder blades. Pain rifled through her body as the rock launched her across the alley and planted her into the brick wall of a building.

The rock fell away. Maki flopped to the ground, her vision completely blurred after having her head smack into the wall. She felt her forehead stinging and noticed a thick red liquid slowly dribbling down her nose. A quick whiff and she could tell it was her blood running down from her forehead.

Her arms moved like noodles as she attempted to scramble to her feet. Every motion felt difficult. Her legs felt like lead and her head pounded relentlessly. Through the haze that had begun to dominate her mind, Maki heard the familiar sound of Dash and Rocko laughing.

"Nice hit, Rocko!" Dash roared as he held his stomach, "I'm amazed she's even awake after that one!"

"Yeah!" Rocko chortled, his large gut bouncing as he laughed, "She has no idea what hit her!"

Maki blinked, trying to get rid of the haze. The thought running through her mind was, where was Nashi? Why wasn't she fighting back? Nashi always fought back. She always sent Rocko and Dash scurrying away with her fire magic. Maki gulped. The only reason Nashi wouldn't be fighting back is if they got her too. Maki tilted her head to the side as she lay prone on the ground. SUre enough, on the other side of the alley lay Nashi, the right side of her head matted down by blood.

"And you nailed the fire bitch too!" Dash declared triumphantly.

"Of course I did. But I'll admit, that rock was aimed at Maki too. She just got in the way."

"Doesn't matter. We took them out. Now neither can keep us from winning!" Dash grinned, "C'mon Rocko let's go."

Rocko didn't move. Instead he kept staring at Nashi, a terrifying had filled his eyes. One that made Maki's blood go cold.

"She's pretty hot isn't she?" Rocko muttered.

Dash's grin faded away and he raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Uh yeah…. Sure. Whatever you say man. But c'mon, Gildarts is getting away."

"Who cares." Rocko waved a hand, "You'll get S-class next year if we don't catch him. Besides, it's not everyday you have Nashi Dragneel unconscious and at your mercy."

Maki felt her breath get caught in her throat. Every fiber of her being wanted to move. She demanded her body to move. To get in between Rocko and Nashi. To keep that slime ball from going anywhere near her friend. But her mind was still foggy. The world was still spinning around her. Maki was certain that she had a concussion.

"What exactly do you mean Rocko?" Dash asked, hesitation thick in his voice as the large teen stomped over to the unconscious Dragon Slayer.

"What I mean, is that maybe we can have ourselves a little fun?"

Dash's eyes widened. "I-I," He gulped as Rocko grabbed Nashi's waist coat and ripped it away, "Rocko this isn't right."

"Who decides that? Our parents?" Rocko scoffed as his meaty hand wrapped around the cloth strips that covered Nashi's body, "Give me a break. In my opinion, to the victor goes the spoils. And I'm the victor, these," He groped Nashi, "Are my spoils."

"Get your filthy, ugly, disgusting, hands off of her!"

Rocko froze and glanced behind him. Maki was slowly rising to her feet.

"Would you look at that!?" Rocko laughed, "That attack usually one shots her! Maybe she's actually gotten tough."

Dash gulped as he looked at Maki. Something was different about her. There wasn't any fear in her eyes like there usually was when he and Rocko picked on her. Instead, he saw pure rage in the normally gloomy hazel eyes. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a flicker of yellow dance through her irises as she shakily got to her feet. Her knees knocked together. Dash could tell that it was taking all of her strength just to stand up. Whatever Rocko had just hit her with must've been enormously powerful. Because he'd never seen Maki look this banged up after one hit before.

Dash felt goosebumps forming on his skin. The temperature in the air had begun to drop out of nowhere. But that was impossible. It was the middle of summer, and they were all in Hargeon. It's supposed to be almost ninety degrees outside. Why did it all of a sudden feel like he was standing in a freezer.

"What are you going to do, No Magic Maki?" Rocko sneered as his hand began to tear at Nashi's cloth wrappings, "Stop me? Ha! Like you even could."

The cloth wrappings broke away. And at that moment, Dash felt an overwhelming sense of dread take over his body. An ear piercing wail erupted from Maki's lips, making both Dash and Rocko freeze. The wind began to howl all around them, whipping up into a small cyclone. Then Dash noticed the walls of the buildings around them were starting to break apart, brick by brick. Each brick slowly levitating free from the mortar that bonded them together. They began to circle Rocko and Dash, gaining speed as they swirled aroudn the two wizards. Dash gulped as he desperately began to look for a way to escape.

His eyes saw an opening in the swirling bricks. His magic burst to life and he pumped his legs. But he didn't move. His legs felt like they were getting sucked into the ground. Dash glanced down at his feet. They were gone. Consumed by the ground as the cobblestone practically turned to quicksand.

"What the hell!?" Dash screamed in terror. He tried to move again. But the more he moved his body, the fast he sank.

Across from him, he could see Rocko gaping at Maki. His eyes wide with terror as she slowly stalked towards him. Dash trembled as Maki reached out with a pale hand and pressed a finger against Rocko's forehead.

Rocko's eyes widened. His mouth fell open in a silent scream. Then Dash saw blue lightning arc all around Rocko's body. Shocking his friend relentlessly. With each pulse of electricity, Dash could see Rocko's bones through his skin. Flashing in front of him like a twisted X-ray.

"S-stop!" Dash wailed as he pumped his legs, doing everything he could to reach Rocko, "You're going to kill him!"

He stopped moving as Maki's gaze turned to him. But they were not Maki's eyes staring back at him. These eyes blazed with raw fury. A color that burned like hot cinders instead of the normal hazel that he had grown used to. A psychotic smile spread across Maki's lips.

"How does it feel to be helpless, Dash?" she asked, her voice practically echoing in his ears.

Dash whimpered in response as he watched Rocko get hit with another volt of electricity.

"How does it feel to be weak?" Another zap, "How does it feel to be powerless?"

"IT SUCKS!" Dash screamed, "I'M SORRY! I WON'T HURT YOU EVER AGAIN! JUST DON'T KILL HIM!"

Maki clicked her tongue, "Kill him? No… death would be a mercy for Rocko. After all, he did just attempt to-" She grit her teeth and launched another violent volley of lightning into Rocko. At this point, his skin was turning black. The kid was beginning to burn from the inside out, "I won't kill Rocko." She growled, "But I do plan on making him suffer for eternity."

" **CRASH!"**

A net of magic power slammed into Maki. The girl flew across the alley and slammed into a garbage can. As soon as her body hit the ground, the cold in the air faded away. The wind died, and the feeling of terror that had overcome Dash lightened. He glanced back and forth to see who just saved Rocko's life.

Then he noticed something strange. Rocko's skin wasn't burnt to a crisp. In fact, he looked completely fine, save for the far away stare in his eyes and the silent scream coming from his gaping mouth. Dash let out a shuddering breath then looked down to see that he was standing on solid ground. He wasn't sinking into the earth. He had been standing in the exact same position he had been in when Maki had started her rampage.

 _What the? But, I was sinking!? Rocko was dying!? There was wind and bricks and-_

*BAM*

The lights went out as a powerful fist slammed into the back of his head.

 **And chapter! Cliffhanger ending, sort of. This chapter was actually really, really difficult to write. I have no idea why, it just was. Guess I had a small stint of writer's block there for a little bit. Anyways, Maki went berserk. Like Father like Daughter eh? And good thing she did go berserk too. Rocko is a disgusting character. In a lot of ways I hate him and in another way I think he'd make a decent antagonist later down the line. I'd have to think about it some more… unfortunately. But anyways, that's the chapter for today guys! I'm going to try to have one out tomorrow as well. As always, I hope you guys enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	8. Return of Legends

**Hey everyone! For those of you living in the USA, Happy Independence Day! Here's a new chapter for you all to enjoy along with the usual fireworks and grilled food!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 8

Return of Legends

Maki gasped as her eyes fluttered open. The world around her was dark. Filled with dense shadows as she lay on a cold, metal floor. To her left and right, blue lights flickered from strange electronic consoles that were no longer in use. Above her was a metal ceiling that echoed as the sound of footsteps rapidly moving above her pounded against it. As she woke up, she could hear a strange buzz whir in the air. Multiple buzzing whirs along with an unsettling crackle mixed in every so often. Then she heard a sinister cackle as a man screamed in rage.

The scream made Maki's hair stand on end. A chill rushed down her spine as she slowly got to her feet. She crept through the shadows, being extra careful not to be noticed by anyone in the room. She eventually reached the edge of the room she had been in. There she found that she wasn't in a room, she was actually underneath a raised platform. On top of the platform, overlooking a series of stairs, was a large throne. Sitting on the throne was a decrepit figure, hunched in his seat as his yellow eyes gleamed down at the scene before him.

A flash of red made Maki duck back behind a pillar. A sickening hiss filled her ears followed by another deafening crackle, as if thunder was rumbling in the room.

 _Where is that noise coming from!?_ She winced.

Then she found her answer. Her eyes wandered to the landing just before the set of stairs that led to the throne. On that landing, she saw four figures. One was a young woman with striking scarlet colored hair. She wore jet black armor and had a black as midnight cape over her shoulders. Maki's eyes widened in fear. The woman's right arm was missing from the elbow down.

Beside her was a young man with dirty blonde hair. He was currently aiding the woman. Helping her rise to her feet while her legs trembled beneath her. At his hip, Maki noticed a strange silver cylinder clipped to his belt.

Another flash of red and Maki's eyes darted to the final two figures. The first sent fear coursing through her veins. He was a tall, imposing figure clothed in black armor. His head was completely hidden by a glossy black helmet and a mask with lidless eyes. The breaths from the terrifying figure thrummed in her ears. In his gloved hands, Maki saw a silver and black cylinder with a red light generated from the end.

Another red light clashed with the monster's own, causing a flash of light and sparks to shower down from the two beams as they hissed against each other. Her hazel eyes fell upon the final figure. A spark of familiarity rose in her mind as she looked at the young man viciously dueling the metal monster.

He was much younger than when she previously saw him in a dream. His hair was longer too. No longer spiky, but held back in a ponytail. His chin was not covered in a near beard like last time, but rather dark stubble that showed the beginnings of one. But those eyes… those eyes were exactly same. A fiery yellow color like hot lava spewing out of a volcano's mouth. A wicked snarl was etched on his face as he bashed his blade against the monsters.

The fight was intense. A duel that was clearly to the death as each blow delivered by the two combatants aimed to kill the other. And all the while, the hunched figure on the throne smiled gleefully. His smile faded though as his own eyes fell on Maki.

She wanted to shrink away. Curl into a ball and hide from the penetrating gaze of the hideous man on the throne. The sight of her clearly displeased him. In fact, it made him wrathful. She could practically feel the hatred pouring out of him like a river as he stared at her. Time seemed to freeze as a coarse voice entered her mind.

" _Child… who are you?"_

Maki gulped and trembled where she stood.

" _You are not yet living. Not in this time at least."_

Maki blinked and stared stupefied at the figure on the throne. Was he speaking to her mind!?

" _Your presence feels familiar similar to the Pretender's. How curious."_ His lips curled into a snarl, " _Does that mean I am defeated? After all, the only explanation for that is that you are his offspring."_

Maki's jaw fell open. The hunched figure was talking about her father. Someone he referred to as the Pretender.

" _No… NO!"_ The voice snapped in her mind, making Maki recoil as the fringes of her vision grew hazy, " _I will not be defeated! Not by him! Not by anyone! I am the Emperor! I will be victorious!"_

A shock of pain raced through her mind as she felt dark tendrils sink into her. Maki screamed in pain and dropped to her knees. Then all went black.

….

The fire crackled and spit embers as Gildarts Clive jabbed it with a stick. Stoking the flames in order to keep him and the two girls warm. It was a shockingly cold night outside. Especially for summer. He was used to conditions like this. He had been traveling Fiore for most of his life. Living outdoors, eating the fruits of the land when he couldn't get close enough to a village. He enjoyed this kind of life. It had it's thrills that always kept him on his toes. The occasional run ins with dark guilds or dark wizards. The battles with monsters that would appear out of nowhere and dare to challenge him. Gildarts smirked to himself as he recalled the vast array of memories. He loved this lifestyle.

His elbows creaked as he set the stick back down on the ground. A wince of pain crossed his old face.

 _I may love this lifestyle. But my body doesn't._ He thought sadly, _Not anymore._

A loud gasp caught his attention and he calmly watched as the girl named Maki Marvell jerked awake. Fear was etched on her face as she frantically looked around, attempting to decipher just where in the world she was.

"Easy kid." Gildarts raised a hand to calm her, "You don't have to get all worked up right now."

Maki blinked then winced as her head started to pound. She reached up with a shaky hand and rubbed her bandaged forehead.

"What happened?" She muttered weakly.

Gildarts leaned back against the tree stump he was sitting beside, "Well…good things and bad things."

Maki frowned, "The bad things?"

Gildarts glanced over at Nashi with Maki following his gaze. The pink haired dragon slayer still lay unconscious on the ground. Heavy bandages were wrapped around her head. A ratty old cloak was tightly wrapped around her body while her torn waistcoat lay neatly folded beside her.

"She's still in rough shape." Gildarts noted, "Hasn't woken up since I found you guys in that alleyway."

"Found?" Maki gulped, "D-did Rocko… did he-"

"And that's the good thing." Gildarts said calmly, "You kicked ass."

Maki blinked and pointed at herself, "Me?"

Gildarts nodded as he rested his hands folded behind his head in a leisurely manner, "Yes you. I managed to lose you kids in that alley, jumped up onto a rooftop. I saw what that little shit was going to do and I was about to jump in and stop him when you cut loose on the kid."

Maki raised an eyebrow before tucking her knees close to her chest, "I-I don't remember any of that."

Gildarts frowned, "Really? I would've remembered it. You were… to be quite honest, terrifying. Nothing really happened on the outside. Just a large drop in temperature in your general area. But you did cause both Rocko and that other dirtbag, what was his name?"

"Dash."

"Yes Dash. You caused both of them to freeze. No movement, at all. They just stared at you, completely petrified. Skin going pale, sweat dripping down their faces. Meanwhile, you just stood there and glared at them. I don't know what the hell you did, I'm no expert on all magics in the world, but you really messed those two idiots up. They were gibbering fools by the time I got to them. It was almost like you melted their minds or something."

Maki's eyes widened, "Melted their minds?" Maki shook her head, "That's impossible. I can't use magic. I'm not a wizard. Hell, they even call me No Magic Maki back at the guild hall!"

Gildarts frowned, "Well, you used magic in my opinion. The strangest magic I've ever seen. But definitely magic. And who the hell is calling you No Magic Maki?"

Maki gulped, "The two idiots whose minds I apparently melted."

A soft chuckle escaped Gildarts lips, "They definitely got what was coming to them then. You beat up your bullies. And on top of that,you kept them from hurting Nashi anymore than they already did." He held out a hand to her, "You have my thanks for that."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"Because, Nashi's old man and I are old friends. Good friends. If he ain't here to say thanks, then I will for him."

Maki smiled a little as she grasped the old man's hand and firmly shook it, "Your welcome I guess." Maki sighed. She had a very hard time believing any of this. It was impossible. She couldn't use magic. None at all. It was a talent that had eluded her for her entire life. Even having the instruction of that Irene lady, someone who was confident that she could bring out the magic in Maki, had failed to yeild even a spark of magic in her. But now, all of a sudden, she could use magic? That made no sense to her at all.

 _I need to talk to Master Mira or maybe Uncle Galen._ She thought, _This is all so weird._ She then sighed, now realizing that she was in the care of Gildarts Clive. The man she was supposed to help Nashi hunt down and capture. Instead of accomplishing that, they ended up getting saved by him. Which mean-

"So… I'm guessing the S-class exams are done?"

Gildarts arched an eyebrow, "S-class exams?" Maki nodded to him causing the crash mage to nod in understanding, "Oh… so that's what old man Makarov cooked up for this year's exams eh? A little unorthodox for him. Sending a bunch of kids to drag me back to the guild."

Maki stared at him puzzled, "Who's old man Makarov?"

Gildarts frowned, "You don't know Master Makarov? I thought you were a member of Fairy Tail? He's the guild master of Fairy Tail, ain't he?" Gildarts uncorked a small bottle of whiskey and brought it to his lips.

Maki shook her head, "The only guild master I know is Master Mirajane."

Whiskey shot out of Gildarts's mouth and into the fire in front of him, causing the flames to hiss as the alcohol burned.

"Hold up!" Gildarts exclaimed, "Little Mira is the guild master now?"

Maki nodded, "Yeah. She's been guild master for the past… sixteen years I think now."

"SIXTEEN YEARS!" Gildarts cried, "Holy shit! How long have I been away!?"

"She said you've been gone for about eighteen years."

"EIGHTEEN YEARS!" Gildarts roared while pulling his hair, "Dammit all! I lost track of time again!"

Maki stared incredulously at the old wizard, "How do you lose track of time for eighteen years?"

"Really easily, apparently." Gildarts groaned as he rubbed his face, "Oh man… Mira as the guild master. She's probably going to have a few words to say to me when I get you two back to the guild. Most of them angry words." He cringed, "Oh man… things are going to be really weird when I get back." His eyes then widened and his pupils shrank, "Eighteen years… that means my baby Cana-"

"Is middle aged now, yes." Maki nodded solemnly, "Though no less drunk than she probably was before."

Gildarts cringed, "I can't decide if I want to talk with Mira or Cana first. Either one is probably going to rip my head off."

Maki snorted out a small laugh, "Sounds like a no win situation to me."

"You bet it is." Gildarts chuckled, anxiety written on his face, "Oh boy… this is going to be an interesting day." He patted Maki on the shoulder, "You should get some sleep kid. That head of yours took a pretty bad hit. Rest will help."

Maki nodded as she started to feel her head swim. The pounding she had been feeling for the majority of the conversation was now a painful throbbing that pulsed through her head. She groaned as she slowly lay back down on the dew covered grass.

"I'll wake ya in the morning kid." Gildarts said gently, "And hopefully there's a boar around here or something. I could go for some bacon."

Maki's eyes began to droop, "I could go for my aunt's cooking to be honest."

Gildarts' easy going laughter rang in her ears as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

….

 _I told that boy for the millionth time to be on time!_ Erza thought as she stormed through the halls of the Jedi Temple, _And once again, he ignores me!_

Her feet pounded against the wooden floors as she stomped down the halls towards the Padawan barracks that had just recently been finished. It was a small section of the temple. Capable of housing roughly thirty padawan learners. Each room looked exactly the same originally. But as padawans moved in, they brought their own unique personalities with them. Some of the doors she passed had small stickers on them depicting star fighters or bounty hunters. Others were painted gaudy colors or had beautiful portraits scribbled into the wood finishes.

Many times, when Erza would come through here looking for her student, she'd admire the different acts of expression the dozens of students produced. Each young student was unique in their own way. And they were taught to thrive in their differences. Some were rebellious and caused Luke and the other Masters tremendous headaches when teaching. She could tell who were the rebellious ones just from the amount of noise coming from some of the closed doors. Others were quiet and obedient, the model children as Master Rahm Kota called them. They were the ones he said would've actually made it in the old order. And lastly, there were the layabouts. The ones that Luke worried would never become Jedi because they were too lazy to push themselves. The ones with atrociously unkempt rooms and messy physical appearances. Always failing inspections and not caring when they did.

Kento Marek, Master Erza Scarlet's padawan, was once one of those layabouts. He had accelerated quickly through the youngling ranks when he arrived. No doubt thanks to his natural talent with the force, a gift that he inherited from his father. But when he hit the rank of Padawan learner, he became irascible, moody, a terrible teenager if there ever was one. At the time of his promotion to Padawan, both Erza and Rahm Kota had been adamantly against it. They argued he was too wild, too unfocused, not dedicated to the Jedi Order. Sure, he excelled at the physical aspects of being a Jedi. His lightsaber skills were always top of his class. But the spiritual aspects of being a Jedi, of relating to the force, were largely ignored by the boy. That only furthered Erza's opposition to Kento being made a padawan.

Then in an ironic twist of fate, Master Quinlan Vos had convinced Luke Skywalker to make Kento her Padawan Learner. It was a way to straighten the boy out, as Master Vos put it. Although, Erza was convinced that he was just trying to find a new way to continuously test her nerves… per his usual behavior.

As Erza passed a door painted in a bright neon pink, she heard it whoosh open. Then a voice that rivaled the irritation levels of Ichiya Kotobuki rang in her ears.

"Damn, Master Scarlet," The sultry voice of Master Quinlan Vos started as Erza stopped in her tracks, "Every time you walk by, I can't help but look at that perfect ass."

Erza grit her teeth and clenched her fists before quickly letting out a deep breath and turning to face the incorrigible Jedi Master.

 _Keep your temper in check Erza. Keep it in check._ She berated herself before speaking, "Good Morning Quinlan." She glanced at his messy hair then into the room where she saw a naked woman, one of the older padawans to be more precise, asleep on a trashed bed, "I see you were up to your usual nightly activities."

The kiffar shrugged, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's vulgar." Erza said stiffly.

"No… it's natural." Quinlan Vos smirked at her, "So! What brings the great Master Scarlet down here?" His grin only widened, "Looking for Kento I assume?"

"Yes actually."

"Hoping to find him in a compromising position?" Quinlan said suggestively.

"Absolutely not!" Erza snapped, "If he was doing something so obscene, he'd probably experience my infamous temper for the first time. I am already very upset with him this morning."

"Oh?" Quinlan started as he stepped in stride with his fellow council member, "And why is that?"

"We have a mission to start, and I told him to be at the ship thirty minutes ago."

"And he isn't at the ship?"

Erza glared at him.

"Right, that was a question with an obvious answer. My bad." Quinlan cringed. The woman's vengeful glares were one of the only things that managed to unsettle the Kiffar Jedi. It only caused him to grow more aroused when in her presence, "So, what's the mission Lady Erza?" he yawned, "Another peacekeeping assignment. Or perhaps a mission that involves aggressive negotiations. I do remember that you like those very much."

Erza sighed, "No, I prefer to not be violent on my missions. And no again to the peacekeeping assignment. In actuality, I'm about to go home for the first time in… a very long time."

Quinlan arched a dark eyebrow, "Home? As in, home home."

Erza nodded.

"Wow," Quinlan whistled, "Going home! On vacation maybe?" he started laughing like a teenager, "Is there a certain man friend waiting for you there?"

Erza's cheeks turned redder than her hair, "N-no!"

"Liar." Quinlan slyly smiled as they turned the corner and entered another door lined hallway, "Or… maybe it isn't a male friend at all? Perhaps you are more inclined to the seductiveness of the same sex?"

Steam began to boil out of Erza's head.

"If that's the case, then you are about to break my heart, Master Scarlet." Quinlan draped an arm over her shoulder, "I thought you and I had a _special_ connection. Then again the thought of you and another woman-"

*WHAM!*

The world spun for Quinlan Vos as he lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, legs flopping over his head.

"You have a lovely day, Master Vos." Erza growled as she stormed towards Kento's door at the end of the hall.

"You too, Master Scarlet." Quinlan babbled as he struggled to form words after taking an uppercut from the scarlet haired Jedi Master.

Erza huffed and took a soothing breath. Nearly sixteen years of being a Jedi had taught her to be very patient to all forms of life in the galaxy. But that patience always ran out around Quinlan Vos. She had learned to keep her once fiery temper in check. To always give others the benefit of the doubt in debates and conversations. She had to do so in order to accomplish many diplomatic missions that the galaxy demanded of the new Jedi Order. But all that anger management went out the window whenever Quinlan Vos opened his mouth. For some reason, he always managed to find a way to make her angry, uncomfortable, and flabbergasted all at the same time. Combine those feelings with her current frustration with her young Padawan, and it was a mixture designed to cause a violent explosion of rage at any moment.

Another deep breath escaped her lips before she knocked gently on Kento's bare door.

"Kento Marek!" she called, "Get up!"

No answer. Erza bowed her head and cursed before knocking again.

"Kento Marek! Don't make me have to come in there!"

No answer once again. Quinlan's suggestive statement danced through her head. Kento was old enough to want to attempt something so indecent. The thought made righteous anger build up in Erza. She backed away from his door and planted the heel of her boot into it. The door flew from the hinges, across the cramped space, and crashed into the far wall.

Erza's lips puckered and she blinked several times at the destruction she had just accidentally caused.

 _I should really talk to Luke about my issues with Quinlan._ She thought as she entered Kento's room.

It was empty. The boy was nowhere to be found. The only thing visible in the room other than the furniture, was a pile of neatly folded robes resting atop an impeccably made bed. A slight smile came over Erza's face.

 _So he knew I would come here to look for him._ She thought, _And he made sure to make the place look extra clean._ A sigh left her lungs, _Either he did something stupid once again, or he's just trying to get back on my good side._

With his room being empty, Erza knew there was only one place left that he could possibly be at.

She swiftly moved out of his room, using the force to gently place the door back into it's spot. With a wave of her hand, she locked the wooden door and made a mental note to ask maintenance to repair the foot shaped dent in it. Then she strode quickly down the hall towards the exit, paying no mind to the revolting sounds coming from the room Quinlan Vos was currently residing in.

She had memorized the path she was about to take. A quick left once she left the Padawan's barracks and she was on the right walkway through the jungle towards the adjacent building. It was much more robust in appearance than the barracks. Designed to take punishment of any kind. Which was good. After all, it was where many students first learned how to utilize their abilities. Erza and Kento had been here many times. In this building, she taught the boy the art of swordsmanship. How to wield a lightsaber properly. How to strike, defend, and most important of all, when it was appropriate to even draw the blade.

She calmly passed training room after training room, casting quick glances inside to see Jedi Knights training their own students in the force or in lightsaber combat. In one room she saw a particularly interesting showdown occurring between Master Tano and Master Kota. She wished she could stay to see the outcome, but her student demanded her attention once again.

She came to the last room on the left and tapped the button to enter. Inside were two combatants.

One was clearly her student. He was the only human in the entire temple with bright pink hair. Erza frowned a little as she saw several strands were longer on top of his head. He was due for a haircut.

Her chest swelled with pride as she watched him quickly activate his blue blade to catch the green one of his opponent. The other boy was roughly the same age as Kento. Maybe two years younger. But he was taller and lankier. Long flowing black hair came down from his head and rested around his shoulders. His skin was pale and his eyes were dark like his father's. A snarl was etched on his face as his frustration mounted. Meanwhile, Kento smirked, his eyes darting to look at his opponents left shoulder.

"Your wide open." Kento grinned before expertly sliding to his right. At the same time, his blue blade flicked to the left, catching his opponent on the shoulder and sending the other padawan learner reeling.

With that single tap on the shoulder, both boys deactivated their lightsabers. While Kento grinned widely, his opponent scowled before sighing and nodding.

"I can't ever seem to beat you." He stated quietly.

"It's very difficult to beat Kento." Erza stated, startling the two padawan learners with her presence. As soon as she spoke, Kento's face paled.

"Oh…" He gulped then bowed low to Erza, "I apologize Master. It slipped my mind."

Erza nodded, "Don't let it happen again. Now go get cleaned up. We're behind schedule."

"Yes master." Kento quickly ran off.

When Kento left, Erza sighed and shook her head.

"Was it his idea to skip out on the mission or yours, Ben."

The younger, lankier boy pursed his lips, "A little bit of both."

Erza shook her head, "You two… keep your antics up and you both will be the death of me."

"Or Uncle Luke."

"Certainly your Uncle Luke." Erza snorted before kneeling in the center of the room, "Do you mind?"

Ben Solo shook his head, "Not at all, Master Scarlet."

Erza nodded her thanks then closed her eyes as she attempted to immerse herself in the force.

"So…" Ben's rich voice broke the silence, "Was it Master Vos again?"

Disgust flashed on Erza's face for a brief second. Just long enough for the perceptive Ben Solo to notice.

"He's up to no good again?"

"Master Vos," Erza began, "Is always up to no good. Never use him as an example of a model Jedi."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Kento says he's an example of how to have a good time."

Erza pinched the bridge of her nose, "Kento… is a rascal. And he drives me insane at times. I swear, Master Vos convince your uncle to give me Kento as a way to get back at me for saying no to his advances."

Ben's cheeks reddened a little, "He's attempted to-" He cleared his throat, "Do the frick frack with you?"

Erza stared puzzled at the young padawan, "The what?"

"You know… S-E-X."

"Force no!" Erza exclaimed, "He knows better than to even try and do that. He just likes making me feel uncomfortable. I've never known anyone who thrived off of the distress of his comrades quite like he does."

Ben shrugged, "Well, you do know Kento."

"Yes I do. I fear he's beginning to imitate that repulsive Kiffar." Erza sighed then rose to her feet, "If Kento wishes to avoid me berating him, then he should be done preparing by now."

"Where are you off to this time, Master Scarlet?"

"Earthland, Ben." Erza replied, "I've been assigned to possibly recruit a new student."

Ben's mouth fell open, "On Earthland! That's amazing! I wish I could go! All I ever get to do is sit and meditate with my Uncle."

Erza smiled, "Those meditations are important, Ben. But don't worry. You'll be able to see it eventually."

"What is Earthland like?"

Erza stared off for a moment, recalling the beauty of her home world, "It's… unlike any other place in the galaxy. There are multiple climates. Massive mountain peaks capped with thick blankets of snow. Rolling green hills filled with wheat and rye. Forests so thick that you can't even see the sun through the branches. And small towns where everyone knows your name." A wistful smile flashed across Erza's face, "It'll be interesting to see how much has changed over the years." She folded her arms and Ben quickly bowed to her.

"I suppose you have to go."

"Indeed I do, Ben." She started out, "I do enjoy our conversations. We shall have some more in due time."

"I look forward to it. May the Force be with you, Master Scarlet."

"You as well, Ben." Erza replied before exiting and heading for her ship in the hangar.

….

Mirajane tapped the pen against the wooden desktop before leaning forward in her seat. What she had just heard was… revolting. Horrifying even. The scowl that was currently encompassing her face couldn't do justice to the amount of rage boiling within her. She was already in a foul mood today. Especially when Gildarts entered and immediately shattered the wall near the door with his crash magic. But now… after hearing what had happened in Hargeon. Mira felt her temples pounding as her anger only grew.

"And you didn't try to stop them?" Mira asked as she glared at Gildarts.

The elder wizard gulped and cringed, "I was about to-"

"You waited until the last second to try to intervene!" The powerful, anger laced voice of Galen Marek growled, "You are damn lucky I'm out of shape old man or I would gut you where you sit!"

"Hey! She didn't need my help."

Mira stopped tapping her pen, "What do you mean she didn't need your help?"

"I'm curious about that as well." Galen snarled.

"Well… I was about to jump in and bash those idiots skulls in when… well when Maki decided to open up a can of whoop ass."

"And what exactly do you mean by that, Gildarts?" Mira asked.

Gildarts shifted his weight in his seat, "Well… she used magic."

"Not possible. Maki has no magic." Galen stated swiftly.

"Well then explain why Dash and Rocko's minds are completely fried."

Galen's face paled, "What do you mean 'fried'?"

"Well, Dash isn't so bad. He was still able to at least function. But Rocko," Gildarts cringed and shook his head, "That kid is going to have to spend the rest of his life in a mental institute. I have no idea what your niece was doing to him up here," He tapped the side of his head, "But he was completely unresponsive when I tried to scold him. The kid didn't even blink." Gildarts scratched his beard, "It's was actually some pretty spooky stuff."

"I don't doubt it." Galen muttered under his breath before rising to his feet, "Well… thank you for bringing Nashi and Maki home safely. I'm sure if Natsu or Lucy were here they would say the same."

Gildarts nodded.

"Now then, Mira, Gildarts, if you'll excuse me. I have to speak with my niece and wife."

"Of course." Mira replied as Galen Marek marched out the door. Once the door shut, Mira's furious blue eyes trained onto Gildarts.

"What?" Gildarts squeaked.

"Eighteen years, Gildarts Clive." Mirajane Strauss growled, "Eighteen years and no word from you at all!"

"I lost track of time."

"NO ONE," Mira bellowed, causing the mighty crash mage to shrink in fear, "Loses track of time for eighteen years!" She rose from her desk, "Do you have any idea what you have missed?"

Gildarts shrugged, "A lot obviously. My daughter is a middle aged drunk who can barely hold her liquor anymore. Most likely because her liver is shot. The goth chick," Mira narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Is… now… the very wise, and powerful guild master." Gildarts winced, attempting to save his backside, "Natsu had a kid with a woman hotter than his own fire. God damn! He's a lucky son of a bitch."

"Ahem!" Mira cleared her throat, "That's not all you missed."

Gildarts raised an eyebrow.

"You missed a whole damn invasion!" Mira threw a book across the room. It collided into the door with a loud boom, "Twenty times I tried to call for your aid during the invasion! TWENTY! And where were you!?"

Gildarts cringed, "Bosco."

"Oh, great!" Mira threw her hands in the air, "Bosco. No doubt curled up in a brothel!"

"I was not in a brothel!" Gildarts defended, "I was at a spa."

Mira scowled.

"There is a difference."

"Spa… brothel. No difference if every woman in there is dropping their pants for you while your guild and friends suffer."

"Suffer?" Gildarts exclaimed, "It doesn't look so bad here?"

"That's because we've had seventeen years to recover you old man!" Mira roared, "Can't you feel it in the air. The ethernano count is still far lower than it once was! And… and…" Mira gulped, "And you haven't seen the cemetery yet."

Gildart's carefree demeanor dropped immediately, "What exactly happened while I was gone Mira?"

Mira let out a shuddering breath, "An Empire that spanned the entire galaxy invaded. Activated the Face weapon, wiping out all magic from Fiore. Then enslaved everyone they captured. Killed the wizards they deemed too powerful. Let dark guilds run rampant as long as they helped hunt down any rebellions." Mira swallowed hard, "We lost… we lost a lot of good people Gildarts. Including," A tear dripped from her eye, "Including Master."

Gildart's face dropped, "So… that's why I haven't seen him yet."

Mira nodded as she sniffled. She quickly rubbed her eye with the back of her hand, "And… he wasn't the only one. Many more died on the space station the Empire was building."

Gildart's eyes widened in realization, "So that's the weird half sphere I saw in the sky all the time!"

"Yes you idiot that's exactly what that was!" Mira growled, "And if you had listened to our calls for help at all, you would've helped prevent many deaths! You-" Mira exhaled, "You could've helped Maki have a father."

Gildarts gulped, "Her father died?"

"On that space station, yes. Battling the very Emperor that was attempting to kill us all." Mira sighed and sank into her seat again, "As guild master of Fairy Tail, I forbid you from taking decade or century quests anymore. I will not have a situation where we are caught vulnerable again. Not like that."

Gildarts shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "You make it sound like this Empire could come again."

"It very well could." Mira replied, "I, as well as the wizard saints and the guild Crime Sorciere, have been preparing for such an eventuality. We are no longer alone in the universe Gildarts. There are other planets out there with other intelligent life. With technology that can rival our magic! So yes, I am worried about an Empire or another evil coming to try and enslave us all again. And as the Ace of Fairy Tail, you should be too."

Gildarts nodded, "I understand." He pursed his lips, "I will stick around I suppose." Her rolled his shoulders, feeling the muscles in his back crackle and pop as he did so, "After all, I think I may be a little too old to continue the job I was on."

Mira let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Gildarts." She closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat, "So… may I ask what job kept you away from us for so long."

"The same as the last."

Mira's eyes shot open and she glanced over at the Crash Mage, "The Century quest?"

Gildarts nodded, "The very same."

"How did it go this time?"

"How do you think?"

Mira winced, "That badly."

"There's no way I can kill the beast. I resigned myself to that fact after Tenroujima. So… I decided to just monitor him instead. That's why I was all the way in Bosco for a while. That damn lizard moves like the wind."

Mira gulped as she recalled the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse. His mighty black wings unfurled and spread wide of Tenroujima as it threatened to rain death down upon her and her friends. That day they were saved by the magic of First Master Mavis. How they even survived that ordeal still boggled her mind.

"And what did you find out about it?" Mira inquired.

"More questions than answers." Gildarts replied, "His behavioral patterns were the same up until sixteen years ago. He suddenly rocketed straight here." He pointed at the floor causing Mira's eyes to widen in fear, "Exactly sixteen years ago, he visited Magnolia without anyone noticing. Now… how no one noticed a giant black dragon is beyond my comprehension. But he was here. I tracked him myself. After that, his movements became very… erratic. Uncharacteristic. He's usually very deliberate with what he does, whether that his meandering around in the atmosphere or slaughtering innocent villagers if he wished to. But after that day sixteen years ago, he started becoming reclusive. Secluding himself in impassable mountain ranges. Only emerging on a rare occasion. It was almost as if he was afraid of something."

"What could possibly cause Acnologia to be afraid?" Mira wondered aloud.

"My first guess would be the Black Wizard." Gildarts replied, "But I haven't heard anything about him since you all ran into him on Tenroujima. So, if I were to make an educated guess. The Black Wizard is not what is causing Acnologia to go into hiding."

Mira gulped, "Well, whatever makes Acnologia afraid is something, or someone, I never want to meet."

"Me too."

A beeping sound came from Mira's desk. The white haired guild master casually opened a drawer a withdrew a strange silver disk. Gildart's eyes widened in fascination as he saw a blue hologram appear from the disc.

"Yes?" Mira asked.

"Hey Mira." The figure of Lucy Heartfilia said with a wave, "So um… we have a rather unexpected visitor today."

Mira arched an eyebrow, "That would be?"

Lucy gulped, "It's um… Erza. She's about to land at my house."

Mira jumped from her seat, "ERZA!? HERE!?"

"Where has Erza been?" Gildarts muttered in confusion.

"It's been sixteen years!" Mira exclaimed, "Why is she here now!?"

Lucy shrugged, "I don't know. But she is coming as a representative of the Jedi Order. Which means it must be something important."

Mira sighed and rubbed her forehead, "Oh great. It's official Jedi business. That can't mean anything good."

Lucy laughed, "It never is. Well, I called to warn you."

"Thanks Lucy."

"How's Nashi? I heard about what happened."

"She's ok. Gildarts got her home safe and sound. Nothing happened to her other than a nasty gash on her head. However, I will be having some words with Rocko, Dash, and their parents."

"Good!" Lucy nodded, "Thank you Mira. If I wasn't tied down in a meeting with Chancellor Mothma I would've been there immediately."

"Nashi understands. As do I. Drop by the guild sometime." Mira smiled, "We miss you."

"I'll try." Lucy replied, "We'll talk soon."

"Sounds good."

The hologram faded away. As it did, Mira saw the completely dumbstruck face on Gildarts now wore. He glanced at her, brow knitted in confusion.

"The fuck is a Jedi?"

 **And chapter! That was a fun one to write! I really enjoy some of the quieter moments in this story so far. It allows me to craft and twist characters in ways that are just so much fun! I always thought Gildart's century quest had something to do with Acnologia in some way or another. So I decided to go with that. Though I do wish it was explained in canon Fairy Tail. But oh well...what can you do? Anyways, let me know what you guys think. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	9. A Beautiful Discovery

**Hello everyone! New chapter ready to go! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 9

A Beautiful Discovery

Mitth'raw'nuruodo. A Chiss male, aged beyond what he should be. Gray streaks now running through his black hair. His once flawless skin now gouged by scars and burns. But what remained the same were the eyes. His eyes were still a vibrant red. Still brimming with intelligence and ambition. But at the same time, they betrayed what he really felt. Broken, without cause or purpose. His ship and command, long ago destroyed. And now he huddled inside of this seedy bar, a drink staring back at him.

His hand reached out and plucked the glass from the counter top, now soaked in boozed. He gently swirled the red liquid near his nose. Wafting the scent like a critic at a vineyard. It smelled sour, strong, a powerful odor that nearly made his nose wrinkle.

Perfect to help him forget his failures. Just as quickly as he picked it up, the Chiss brought the glass to his lips and gulped the entire drink down. But it failed to it's job. Even as the burning liquid rushed down his throat into his bowels, he still remembered his greatest failure.

He could see it now. The illustrious little town of Magnolia. It's white stone houses and streets marred and scorched by blaster fire and magic. Stormtroopers slaughtering the rebels as they attempted to rescue their most powerful warriors. A certain dragon slayer and her guild master at his mercy as he aimed his blaster pistol. Ready to make the kill. Triumph filling him, he had won the battle. He had defended Earthland from the rebel scum.

Then the old man moved. A powerful spell was cast. A blinding flash of light. He remembered running, trying to escape the blast. Then the intense heat engulfed him.

He flinched as the scars that covered his face began to burn once again. It was a pain he was used to at this point. They never healed properly. They never could heal properly. For some reason, not even the best bacta could make his face whole again. The only thing that ever eased the pain was drink. Even then it only numbed it a little.

But still, anything for a little relief. He waved his hand at the bartender who quickly slid another glass of the red liquor over to him. The Chiss didn't even acknowledge the act. He simply repeated his ritual. Just as he brought the glass to his lips once again, he heard another patron sit down beside him.

"The hell is a Chiss doing here in the inner rim?" A human with a handsome face and blonde hair snarled.

Mitth'raw'nuruodo glanced at him. Then ignored him. He was obviously intoxicated, judging by the slight slur in his voice and the ever so subtle wobble of his torso as he turned to face the Chiss. He had no time to waste with drunks and layabouts that frequented this bar. They were inferior to him in many regards. To interact with the lower beings would only bring about a conflict that he had no desire to engage in. He didn't want to get arrested and tried for murder, after all.

"Hey!" The human punched the Chiss's shoulder, causing him to spill his drink, "I'm talking to you!"

The Chiss scowled and glanced over at the human, allowing the male to see his scarred face.

"No," He replied with hint of superiority in his accented voice, "You are slurring to me. I have no time nor desire to talk to a drunken idiot. So unless you have something important for me, then leave."

The human's face twisted in anger, "Who the hell do you think you are!?"

The Chiss smirked as he analyzed the human's physiology. Clearly a brute. Blue collar worker judging from his attire. A battle of strength would be a losing battle. If it came to blows, he'd have to outmaneuver his opponent. His red eyes darted to the knees. There was a slight bulge in the pant legs of that area. Knee braces. The weakness of his larger foe.

"I'm nobody." The Chiss replied, "Unless you intend to make me become somebody." His red eyes stared into the human's drunken eyes, "Make a move human. I warn you though, you will find yourself unemployed if you do. I doubt the mines could use a cripple."

The human did not take kindly to that. With a snarl he reached out to grab the Chiss male. Mitth'raw'nuruodo felt himself go flying through the air before colliding into a wooden bar table. The table didn't splinter beneath him. He was too slight to cause such damage. But he wished the table did shatter. It would've been less painful than being plastered against it.

He quickly shoved the pain out of his mind. He'd suffered worse. Some bruises were nothing to him. His slim form jumped back to his feet and narrowly dodged the charging bull of a man.

 _All too easy._

His boot snapped out like a viper and buried itself behind the human's knee. A sickening pop could be heard as the joint snapped out of place. The man howled in pain as he crumpled to the floor, clutching his wounded knee. Meanwhile, the Chiss dusted off his gray clothing and was about to go back to his seat at the bar when the bartender pointed at him

"Get out!" The bartender growled.

The Chiss raised an eyebrow. _Damn humans and their prejudices. The Empire's legacy of alien hatred still lives on it seems._

He turned to leave only for another human for stop him. This human was young. His skin was pale and his eyes were a dark onyx color. One look at his attire, and he could tell that this young human was very wealthy. The fabric of his clothing was rich and soft. Befitting of someone of the upper class. The way he carried himself also revealed an aura of power and authority. One that surprised the Chiss. A young human with such an attitude was either very arrogant, or that capable. A cheerful smile was on the human's lips as he wrapped a scrawny arm around his shoulders.

"Come now bartender." The young human said, "Why are kicking this poor man out?"

"He's causing a disturbance."

The dark haired man nodded to the still down drunk, "And that man wasn't?"

The bartender narrowed his eyes, "Get him out or I will kick both of you out."

Mitth'raw'nuruodo arched an eyebrow as the human snorted out an amused laugh. Then his red eyes widened as the human subtly waved his fingers.

"How about you just ignore my friend and I for now."

He watched as the bartender's eyes glazed over for a brief moment. Then the bartender repeated the command back and left to go attend to some patrons on the other side of the bar.

 _Is it possible?_ The Chiss thoughts were interrupted as the human clapped him on the shoulder.

"Come on Admiral, let us sit and talk."

He froze, the blood beginning to run cold in his veins. How did this human know of his station? Well… his former station. He wanted to just walk out of the bar. Something about this human screamed danger. But at the same time, he felt compelled to obey the young man. As if something pulled him along against his will.

He quietly sat down in his old seat as his new human companion settled into the wooden stool beside him.

"For a man of high tastes, you have really chosen a cesspool to reside in."

Thrawn frowned, "My residence is a couple blocks away."

"Where do you spend most of your time?" The human retorted with a smirk as a glass and bottle hovered through the air to him. Shockingly, not a single person noticed. And that set Thrawn even more on edge.

"Here I suppose." He replied.

The man nodded as he poured himself a glass of wine, "I thought so. This is such a… sorry state to be in for a man who was once the pride of the Imperial navy."

Thrawn snorted, "I was never the pride of the Imperial navy."

"But you were the only non human to be ever given the title of Grand Moff." The man sipped from his glass before nodding his head, "Not a bad wine actually."

"Who are you?" Thrawn blurted out. His paranoia starting to shine through his usual veil of silence.

This human reeked of malice. Thrawn could feel it in the air. He was a force sensitive as well. The way he silenced the bartender was a phenomenon that Thrawn had seen a rare few times before. The Jedi Mind trick, as it was known to the general public. But as Thrawn observed the crowd around them, he could tell that the mind trick was not directed solely at the bartender. Not a single soul in the establishment noticed the two men sitting at the bar. No one acknowledged them, even though Thrawn had just beaten a man. The former admiral slowly realized that this man wasn't just mind tricking the bartender. He was mind tricking the entire bar. Even as new customers entered, his influence spread to them, making them not notice him at all.

That amount of power was simply not possible. Not even Emperor Palpatine, a man who made Thrawn shiver with his power, could have such sway in the Force. Thrawn was both afraid and very, very curious.

"I am…" The man smirked, "I am the coming of a new Empire, Thrawn." He sipped the wine again, "I will have to ask the bartender where he gets this particular bottle, it really is quite exquisite. It really settles on the palate. Very sweet, but not overpowering."

Thrawn shifted on his stool, "Dare I ask, but what does a new Empire want from me?"

The sparkle in the man's dark eyes told Thrawn that he had finally asked the correct question. The man gently set his glass on the counter top and folded his pale hands.

"Normally, Admiral, I would send my special envoy to meet with someone such as yourself. He can be very… persuasive. However, he can also be rather intimidating if he doesn't get his way. Lord Snoke has a tendency to throw quite the nasty temper tantrum. In fact, I was very tempted to just send him to you and not risk exposing myself. Let him have his way with you. But then I read your dossier." The man smiled broadly, "Can I just say, that I am very impressed."

Thrawn snorted indignantly, "What is there to be impressed about? In the end, I lost my fleet, my command. I ended up in this… cesspool, as you so accurately put it."

"But before that, you accomplished so much. For an, and pardon my tone, alien… to reach the heights within the Empire that you did, that cannot be accomplished without having a tremendous amount of skill and intelligence. And I am looking for both of those qualities. Regardless of your home world or misfortunes."

Thrawn stared puzzled at the man, "Most would see my _misfortunes_ as a disqualifying factor."

The man nodded, "And I can see how they would think that. But… your misfortunes are not entirely your fault. Take Earthland for example," Thrawn flinched as the man continued, "Were you over confident borderline arrogant in how you handled the defense of that planet, of course. But… how were you to know that a Jedi Knight, a Sith Lord, three Dragon Slayers, and the entire Alliance Fleet would come-"

"I did know. The Emperor had foreseen such and told me to be prepared." Thrawn replied.

"You didn't let me finish." The man said, "How were you to know, that an old man who had supposedly lost all of his magic, would still be capable of performing a spell such as Fairy Law?"

Thrawn remained silent.

"You couldn't know that, could you?" The man continued, "It is your fatal flaw Thrawn. You analyze every little detail. Prepare for every eventuality and every scenario. But you lack… spontaneity. And, you have no idea how to anticipate the unexpected. To put it more simply, you over prepare for every eventuality that you leave no room for flexibility. Is that a bad flaw? In most cases no. That is a good flaw. It shows you are studious, clever, very much in command of the situation at hand. All desirable qualities in a great admiral. But when that command, that control of the situation slips through your fingers… you lose. Because no one, no matter how much clairvoyance or precognition they are capable of, can out think a moment of sudden spontaneity." He leaned back in his seat, "Look around you Thrawn."

Thrawn cast a quick glance around at the many patrons. They were all still enjoying themselves. Completely oblivious to the two men silently speaking at the bar.

"You would not know it, but right now, I control this situation. Right now, I am in the mind of every single person that is in this bar, that walks into this bar, and that works in this bar. Only when they leave do they escape my control."

Thrawn stared wide eyed at the man. His suspicions had been correct. But he still couldn't believe such a power was possible.

"But… even with my total control of this environment. How could I stop say… the bounty hunter in the far corner, from suddenly losing his mind and tossing a thermal detonator into the crowd? The answer is simple, I cannot. A moment of complete random occurrence that even I, with all my power, cannot foresee." He sipped his glass again, "In the end Thrawn, you were a victim of happenstance. You had done everything correct, but chance won out. And for that, I do not fault you. In fact, I congratulate you. Despite your obvious," he waved a hand over Thrawn's scarred face, "Afflictions, you survived. And now you are still very capable. I want capable people serving me Thrawn."

Thrawn narrowed his eyes at the man, "So, you aren't just here to berate me?"

The man chuckled, "No… no. I'm here to give you purpose once again. But, you can only have it if you desire it." He downed the last drops of wine from his glace, a satisfied sigh escaped his lips, "Yes… I'm taking the other bottle." As the other bottle of wine floated over to his side the man rose to his feet, "I will be at the spaceport for the next hour. If you desire to… I don't know, live once again, come and find me before the end of the hour. If you do not wish to accept my offer, then remain here. Live in squalor for all I care. And you will forget that we ever met."

He slapped several credit chips down on the bar counter and strode out of the bar, leaving the Chiss admiral alone with his thoughts and his spirits.

….

Anger swelled in Maki, "What do you mean you've changed your mind?"

In front of her, at the dining table, sat her Aunt and Uncle. Her aunt looked worried. She had her hands folded tightly over her lap while she nervously glanced back and forth between Maki and her Uncle. On the other hand, her Uncle was not backing down. His stern gaze remained fixed on Maki. Challenging her anger and making her grow more frustrated in the process.

"I mean exactly what I said Maki." her Uncle replied firmly, "The incident that happened during the S-class exams leads me to believe that you are not ready."

"Not ready!" Maki scoffed, "Not ready! How am I not ready to know who my own parents are!" She pointed an accusatory finger at her Uncle, "Who are you to keep them from me!?"

"Maki please-" Her aunt started to plead calmly, attempting to settle the furious teen.

"Don't Maki please me!" Maki roared, "I've lived here for fourteen years without knowing why!? Who was my father!? Why did he die? How did he die? Where is my mother!? Why is she gone!? Is she dead too!? I ask damn simple questions and no one wants to give me a fucking straight answer! Least of all, you two!"

"MAKI MARVELL!" Galen bellowed.

The entire house shuddered. The picture frames flew off of the walls as a blast of energy surged through the house. Maki's face paled and her lips quivered as her Uncle became more angry than she had ever seen him before. His normally stern, yet kind, brown eyes had been replaced by glowing yellow irises that blazed furiously at her. His hard jaw was clenched tightly along with his fists as a powerful force built up in the room. The pressure around Maki was tremendous. She felt like she was going to be crushed as an invisible hand wrapped around her entire body.

"Galen please!" Meldy quaked to the side.

Her husband glanced furiously at her. Then his gaze softened as he saw how terrified she now was. A long sigh escaped his lips and the pressure building in the room faded away. The windows stopped rattling and the furniture that had been slowly lifting from the floor settled gently back down onto the ground. The entire time, Maki looked terrified at her Uncle.

"Maki…" Galen breathed.

But she was already gone. Flying as fast as her feet could carry her out of the house and through Magnolia's streets towards the forest. Tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran.

….

Erza's hands gripped her armrests so tightly that her knuckles were white. Her entire body was tense as her Padawan, Kento Marek, easily guided the shuttle down to the planetary surface. Below them, was the forests that surrounded Erza's home, Magnolia. In the middle of that forest was a mansion surrounded by tall pine trees. The Dragneel family home. And beside that house, was a large concrete slab, designed for small shuttles and ships such as this to land on.

Kento was an excellent pilot. Not as good as some of the other students at the temple. And certainly not as skilled as someone like Master Skywalker. But he was still very capable. If the situation called for it, Kento could outmaneuver some of the best fighter pilots in the galaxy. With the help of the force of course. So really, Erza shouldn't feel so anxious about flying with him. It does set her on edge slightly. She had never gotten used to flying in outer space. Or in a ship for that matter. If the option was given to her, she'd gladly requip into her old armors and fly the entire way across the galaxy. Unfortunately for her, her body required a little something called oxygen. So she had to suffer through letting someone else fly for her.

But that was only a small factor in her unease. The majority of her stress was being caused by where they were landing. As the ship settled onto the concrete slab, Erza could see a blonde woman waiting for them along with a silver protocol droid. Through the trees, she could also see the top of Kardia Cathedral. A heavy sigh left her lips.

"Are you alright Master?" Kento asked as he cut off power to the engines, "If it was my flying I already told you that I'm not that bad."

A strained laugh escaped Erza's lips, "No no, Kento. It's not your flying."

Kento nodded, "Then it's being here huh?"

Erza frowned, "What gives you that idea?"

"I'm your student, Master. If I couldn't sense the stress coming from you right now then there would be something wrong in our relationship." He replied, causing his Master to smirk a little bit, "And besides, you are doing your nervous habit."

Erza blinked, "What nervous habit?"

"Your magic power is fluctuating. Like you are readying yourself for a fight."

"How is that a nervous habit?" Erza asked as she rose to her feet and followed her student to the ramp the led them out of the ship.

"You do it every time before a battle, or before an important meeting, and strangely whenever you are around Master Vos."

"Don't get any funny ideas, Kento." Erza growled at the mention of Quinlan Vos.

"I didn't say anything!" Kento defended as they strode down the ramp, "I only insinuated something."

Erza sighed and shook her head, "You drive me insane."

"It's my job."

When they reached the bottom of the ramp, the blonde woman came rushing up to them. Kento came to a stop and was about to bow with his master when the blonde rushed up to Erza and threw her arms around the red head. Kento blinked in surprise.

"Welcome home, Erza!" The woman cried as she embraced the Jedi Master.

Meanwhile, Erza hugged the woman back, "Thanks Lucy. It's been far too long."

A laugh escaped Lucy's lips, "You're damn right it has been too long. I only just told Mira that you were back. Most likely she's gonna save your arrival as a surprise for the rest of the guild."

Erza arched an eyebrow, "Why would you tell Mira?"

"Well, Mira is the guild master so-"

"Oh right!" Erza replied, "I almost forgot about that. I'll have to congratulate her on that, I suppose. I never expected the guild to vote her guild master."

"No one did. Or at least, not any of us who weren't on Earthland during the war. I know Natsu was really shocked. He actually voted for Laxus." Lucy smiled before glancing at the pink haired teen beside Erza. A puzzled glance crossed Lucy's face. An expression that Erza quickly noticed.

"Oh! Sorry!" Erza smiled, "Lucy this is my Padawan Learner, Kento Marek."

"Kento!" Lucy exclaimed, "Oh my god, it is you!" An embarrassed smile crossed Kento's face, "Holy cow! Last time I saw you, you were just a little guy causing trouble with Maki and Nashi."

"Yeah." Kento muttered quietly before Erza jabbed him with her elbow. He jumped then bowed to Lucy, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Representative Heartfilia."

A loud laugh burst from Lucy's lips, "Don't make him be so formal, Erza. He's practically family. C'mon inside, I've got some tea made."

As they walked towards the mansion. Erza couldn't help but take deep breaths of the air around her. It had been so long since she breathed such fresh, clean air. Sure, Yavin 4 had a clear atmosphere. But she was rarely on that planet. The majority of her time with the Jedi Order had been off world completing missions with Kento. A lot of those worlds had been inhabited for millennia. And if they were in the outer rim, then they were usually very dirty environments. So to have the fresh air of her home world rushing through her lungs once again felt amazing.

When they entered the house, Erza's jaw fell open ever so slightly. It was a magnificent building. Something she had expected from Lucy given her friend's taste. But she never expected it to be this nice in person. The trio walked to the living room where a large fire was burning in the fireplace. On the table in front of the fireplace were cups of hot tea. Lucy sank into a velvet easy chair while Erza and Kento stiffly sat on the couch.

"This is quite the house Lucy." Erza stated as her eyes continued to look around. Meanwhile, Kento quietly sipped on his tea.

"I know. I never dreamed it would get this big. But it did. Natsu said he wanted us to have all the room in the world."

Erza blinked, "W-wait Natsu?"

"Oh right! You weren't here. Well… me and Natsu have been married for almost sixteen years now." Erza's eyes widened, "Or I guess Natsu's equivalent of being married considering that he gave me a really big fish instead of a ring in his version of a proposal. I have a feeling that was Happy's grand idea."

Erza chuckled, "So, he's still up to his same old antics then."

Lucy nodded, "Yes he is. Him and Happy both. Those two just refuse to grow up."

"Who's Natsu and Happy?" Kento mumbled to himself as he sipped on his tea.

"Has he been good to you Lucy?" Erza asked as she folded her arms, "Cause if he hasn't, I'll straighten him out for you."

Kento choked on his tea as he swallowed. He had never heard his master say something like that before. Normally she was a very passive person. Sure she had her moments when her temper got the better of her. But that was only human. And it was normally whenever she interacted with Master Vos.

 _Come to think of it. If Master is talking like that then this Natsu guy must irritate her just as much as Master Vos does._ Kento smirked, _I need to meet this guy now!_

 __"He's been great to me, Erza. And great to Nashi as well."

"Nashi?"

"Our daughter."

This time it was Erza's turn to choke on her tea.

"Eh?"

"Like you said Erza, it's been a really long time since you've been home." Lucy sighed, "She's probably at the guildhall right now. No doubt pestering Maki, as she has done since she was born."

"Maki? Is that another one of your-"

Lucy laughed, "Oh no! One is enough for me. No, Maki is Nashi's best friend.

"That's good to hear." Kento suddenly said, drawing Erza and Lucy's attention, "Well, it's good to hear that Maki and Nashi are good friends. I mean, from what I remember of Maki, she was kinda treated badly by the rest of the guild."

Lucy sighed, "Yes she was. But… not anymore. Maki can use magic now it seems."

Kento stared at Lucy in surprise, "Really!? She was never able to do that before. When did she figure it out, finally?"

"Just a couple days ago actually. Nashi picked Maki to be her partner in the S-class exams. And during the exams, Maki unlocked her magic. Although, I was surprised she didn't use Sky Magic."

Erza's eyes widened ever so slightly. She gently set the cup of tea back down on the table. Kento glanced intrigued at his master. This was a reaction he was not expecting from her. His master was an emotional person. Incredibly compassionate and loving. But he thought that was the extent of it. He had never seen her look so… distraught before.

"Sky Magic?" Erza asked.

Lucy nodded, "Correct, Maki didn't use her mother's magic. She must have used her father's."

Erza's face paled, "Her- her f-father's?"

Lucy noticed Erza's obvious concern, "Did… did you not know?" Kento saw his master's hands beginning to tremble, "Um… Maki is _his_ daughter."

Erza bolted to her feet, "Thank you for the tea, Lucy. But I think it's time for me and Kento to find a place to stay for the night."

"It is?" Kento questioned.

"You could always stay here, Erza." Lucy replied.

"No!" Erza suddenly blurted, surprising both Lucy and Kento with how firm her denial was, "I mean… that is very kind of you Lucy, but we can't do that. After all, we have a mission to complete. We'll stay in town for a couple days then be on our way."

Lucy nodded, "Very well. But please, stop by the guild. They would love to see you."

Erza smiled weakly, "I'm sure they would. Come Kento." The boy rose to his feet as well and followed his master out the door.

Outside it had begun to rain. Gray clouds hovered above while small, thin droplets of water drizzled down onto the forest. Both Erza and Kento flung their hoods over their heads and began to trek along the dirt trail towards Magnolia. The entire time, Erza was silent. And that disturbed Kento.

He could sense the shock coming from his master in waves. Her mind was deeply distracted from the task at hand. For once, he was the one with a clear head on a mission.

"Master?" Kento stopped walking as the rain began to come down harder.

Erza paused and glanced back at her young padawan, "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

Erza pursed her lips then shook her head, "No… I'm not."

"Then perhaps I can help in some way?"

A sigh escaped Erza's lips, "Not with this one Kento. This is a much more… personal issue for me. I'd prefer if you stayed out of it for now."

Kento frowned. While he appreciated the amount of honesty he could have with his Master, he did not like it when she shut him out like this. The two were supposed to be partners. Hell, she had practically been his parental figure for most of his life. The amount of trust they placed in each other was tremendous, clearly shown by the fact that Erza was at her most comfortable in a star ship when Kento was flying it and no one else. But the moments when his master kept things from him irked the young boy considerably. He thought she had more trust in him than that.

"Let's get to town before this storm gets worse."

Kento nodded. Just as the pair started to walk down the trail again, Kento and Erza froze. Through the tapping of rain on the leaves around them, the pair could hear the sound of a girl crying softly by the road.

"Do you hear that?" Erza asked.

"It sounds like the start of a horror vid to me." Kento replied while his fingers subtly dropped towards his belt where his lightsaber hilt rested.

"It sounds like crying."

"I know that!" Kento sighed, "That's why I said it sounded like the start of a horror vid. Nothing good happens when you hear a little girl crying in the middle of a forest." He glanced up at the clouds as the first bolt of lightning arced across the dark sky, "Especially when it's storming."

"You're just being paranoid." Erza replied as she moved in the direction of the crying girl.

"No… I'm being reasonable." Kento muttered as he reluctantly followed.

The crying originated from a large tree just a couple hundred feet away from the trail. As Kento and his master approached, their feet crunched on some leaves. The crying abruptly stopped. Both Kento and Erza froze, waiting to see what happened next. Then a girl, nearly Kento's age, peeked out from the behind the tree.

Her hair was black as the shirt she was wearing. But in the black locks of hair, Kento noticed some streaks of deep blue peaking through. Her face was stained with tears and her eyes were red and puffy.

"Excuse me?" Erza said softly as she slowly approached the girl, "Are you alright?"

The girl's eyes widened as she saw Erza approach. She took a frantic step back before falling backwards. The girl scrambled back to her feet and backed up against the tree.

"Lady Irene?" She stammered fearfully.

Erza raised an eyebrow, "Irene?" She placed her hands on her hips, "I don't remember ever being called that before? Do you, Kento?" The girl's hazel eyes whipped over to the pink haired boy.

Kento shrugged, "I hear they have some creative names for you on Malastare."

"Of course they do." Erza sighed, "And for the upteenth time, don't remind of that mission."

"It's funny."

"It still stings." Erza replied.

"Kento?" The girl whispered.

Kento turned to face the girl again. She no longer seemed afraid. Rather she seemed shocked. He could see the tension in her shoulders and arms release. For some reason, she seemed very comfortable around him. Like she knew him. Kento took a closer look at the girl. Then for some reason, he pictured her as a four year old.

"Holy shit." He breathed.

"Language Kento!" Erza snapped.

Kento ignored his master, "Maki?"

Erza froze in place. Her brown eyes drifted back over to the young girl as she approached both of them. From a distance, Erza could not see any sort of resemblance to her younger brother. But up close, she could see how it was possible. She carried herself like her mother used to, before she broke out of her shy shell. Maki's arms were wrapped around her body as she cautiously approached the pair. Erza could see the blue streaks in her hair. They were the same color as Wendy's hair. Why she also had black hair was a mystery to the Jedi Master.

But what made Erza want to crawl into a ball and cry were Maki's eyes. The same happy, hazel eyes as- Erza gulped and bowed her head, doing her best to maintain her composure.

A smile crossed Maki's face as she drew up to Kento, "It is you!" she grinned, "Holy crap!" She threw her arms around him in a hug, surprising the boy, who didn't exactly know how to respond, "Where have you been!?"

"Uh…" He glanced at his master for some help, only to see the visible distress in her movements as Erza slowly backed away and leaned up against a tree, "Training and stuff?"

Maki snorted out a laugh and ended her embrace, "Sure you were. You were traveling the galaxy, weren't you!? As one of those space wizard things!"

Kento chuckled, "It's called being a Jedi."

"That sounds weird." Maki frowned, her now sad demeanor evaporating away as she spoke to her long lost friend.

"Of course it does, you've never heard it before," Kento smirked, "Weirdo."

Maki folded her arms, "Dammit! You still call me that!"

"Of course I do. Once a weirdo, always a weirdo."

"Am not!" Maki stomped her foot.

"Are too." Kento calmly replied.

"Kento," Erza took a deep breath, "We need to go. I think I just heard thunder."

Maki arched an eyebrow, "Really? I didn't hear anything. And I've got super hearing."

"My master isn't feeling well." Kento replied, "She could use some rest, that's all."

"Oh. Well, I suppose the guild may have some spare beds. C'mon!" Maki waved as she started walking down the dirt road. She then jumped as thunder clapped violently over head, "Never mind…. there is thunder."

Kento chuckled as he followed Maki, the two quickly deciding to catch up on each other's lives. It was like they hadn't been separated for years at all. The two were close as little kids. And they seemed close now. The sight of the pair laughing and shouting at each other as they walked through the rain should've made Erza smile.

But she couldn't smile. Her heart was heavy in her chest as she watched the young girl move with them into Magnolia. She didn't bother to glance at sights she hadn't seen in nearly two decades. No, her entire being was concentrated on the teenager in front of her.

 _It's not possible._ Erza thought, _It just… how? When!?_ She gulped and bowed her head, _Joshua if you were alive right now I would beat you within an inch of your life! SOMETHING SO DAMN INDECENT!_ She glanced up as she heard the girl laugh out loud. A cheerful sound that did not match the girl's gloomy appearance at all. But that laughter made all anger leave Erza as it reminded her of someone she once knew.

They turned the a corner and there it was. Erza felt her heart jump in her chest as she saw the guild hall. It hadn't changed a bit. The gaudy orange sign and symbol still dominated the entrance while the remainder of the building looked like a massive stone palace. The walk up to the building was the same as well. Nostalgia filled Erza as she pictured herself striding up to the guildhall nearly two decades ago. Job completed. Master Makarov would have been waiting for her inside, either drunk and being a pervert, or calmly observing his children go about their daily lives. Natsu and Gray would be causing some sort of ruckus that she would have to break up. Gajeel would be shadowing Levy, or vice versa. Both doing so simply out of curiosity for the other. Juvia would be stalking Gray. Reedus would be painting the entire scene. Lucy would be complaining about her rent. And Macao and Wakaba would be playing cards with-

Erza looked at the girl again as she stopped in front of the guild hall doors, a wide smile on her face as she looked at Kento.

"Nashi is going to be thrilled to see you." She grinned.

Kento gulped, "Oh… I bet. Still accident prone?"

"Absolutely." Maki nodded as she placed her hands on the guild hall doors, "Well…. Welcome back Kento Marek."

As she shoved the guild hall doors open, a small smile formed over Erza's lips as she strode in.

 _She's beautiful Joshua. Absolutely beautiful._

 **And chapter! I meant to upload this earlier today but you know… responsibilities and stuff. You know how it is. I'm going to try and get another chapter out tomorrow as well. If not, then I'll do my best to get it out as soon as possible. Anyways, let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	10. His Name Was

**Hello again everyone! New chapter ready to go! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire  
Chapter 10

His Name Was...

The guild swarmed around her student. Wide smiles on all of their faces as they shook his hand or embraced him. Meanwhile, Maki quickly slipped away from the crowd and went over to Nashi, who was far too busy eating a whole ham by herself to bother with all of the commotion at the front door. Erza smirked a little as she saw the young pinkette gorging herself. She could already tell she took more after Natsu than Lucy.

Her poor mother.

Erza chuckled to herself as she pictured Lucy dealing with a toddler version of Natsu. That was a sight she wish she could've seen.

She kept her hood drawn over her head as she quietly avoided the crowd of wizards gathering around Kento and made her way up the stairs towards the white haired woman observing from a balcony. As Erza approached, the woman cracked a small smile.

"Not wanting to draw attention?" Mira asked as she kept her eyes on the flustered Kento Marek down below.

Erza leaned up against the balcony railing beside the guild master, "I suppose so."

"That's rather unlike you."

Erza shrugged, "It's been seventeen years, Mira. People change."

Mira glanced at Erza, eyebrow raised, "If you tell me you don't like strawberry cake anymore, then I might end up throwing you out for being an impostor."

A small laugh left Erza's chest, "I haven't changed that much, don't worry."

"Well good." Mira replied with a grin, "I've got some waiting for me in my office."

Erza's mouth began to water, "Y-you do?"

The white haired guild master nodded and waved for the Jedi Master to follow her into her office. Once Erza was inside, Mira quietly locked the door behind her and strode past Erza to sit in the chair behind her desk.

"I apologize for the mess." Mira stated as she scooted around some piles of papers and books, "I haven't really been able to get myself organized."

"I can see that." Erza replied as she sank down into a red cushioned chair, "Master would've thrown a fit if he saw the office in such disarray."

Mira nodded as she poured both of them a glass of water from a small pitcher on her desk, "Oh I'm sure he would've." She handed Erza her glass, "Do you plan of visiting him while you're here."

Erza took a quick sip then nodded, "Of course I do. Just… I don't plan on making it a very public event. Just some flowers and a few words that I didn't get to say to him."

Mira frowned, "You are really averse to attention aren't you?"

The red head shrugged, "It comes with the job. Being a Jedi means you either A, have people staring at you like you are some sort of god like superhero. Or B, have people glaring at you wanting to kill you. I don't like either. So I prefer to stay hidden. Kento on the other hand…" Erza shook her head, "He _loves_ the attention."

"But he doesn't seem to know how to handle it." Mira noted as she leaned back in her own chair and kicked her feet up on her desk.

"That just comes from his upbringing at the temple. Before they are given a master, padawans tend to live a rather isolated life. They don't know much about the galaxy and how the universe really works until they go on their first mission." Erza lightly chuckled as she swirled the water in her glass, "I remember Kento's first mission still. That boy was so lost. He wouldn't have been able to find his own head if it wasn't attached to his shoulders. I felt like I was holding a two year old's hand the entire time. Thankfully, it was just a diplomatic escort mission. Nothing dangerous."

"Sounds like an interesting time."

"Eh, it was actually pretty boring to say the least." Erza licked her lips as she saw the strawberry cake on the desk, "But… what can you do. Luke says there is a problem, I solve it. And I am very content with that arrangement."

Mira nodded as she cut a slice of cake to Erza before plating it and handing it to the eagerly anticipating redhead. Erza's eyes widened with delight as she snatched the plate of cake from Mira's hands, sliced a small chuck with her fork, and greedily chewed. Delighting in the otherworldly taste that she hadn't had in years.

"They don't make this nearly as good back at the Temple." Erza breathed.

"Well they don't have strawberries back at the Temple."

Erza nodded, "Only some sort of substitute. Tastes the same, or so they say. But they can't fool me." She took another large bit before using a napkin to wipe some frosting from the corner of her mouth.

"So you are the Jedi's problem solver?" Mira asked.

Erza nodded, "Most of the Jedi Masters are. We are the most experienced after all. I just so happen to like taking care of the really big problems."

"So… is there a big problem here then?" Mira asked warily, worry crossing her face.

Erza blinked, "Oh… no! No. Not at all."

"So you're here on a social visit?"

Erza shook her head, "No again. I am here on an assignment, as I'm sure Lucy told you."

"Yes," Mira nodded, "But she never told me what it was."

"I never told her. I prefer to keep it on the down low." Erza replied, "It's nothing dangerous. Simply observation of a certain individual."

Mira did not reply. She contemplated what her old friend said as she chowed down on the strawberry cake.

"Is it Maki?"

Erza paused as she ate. She quickly swallowed the bite that was in her mouth before gently setting her plate back onto Mira's desk.

"Yes."

Mira sighed, "I had a feeling that was the case. Gildarts said she used magic back in Hargeon. But it wasn't her mother's magic at all. So, by process of elimination I had to assume that-" She saw Erza's brown eyes boring holes into her. Listening so intently, hanging on every word that left Mira's lips.

"So what Lucy said is true." Erza muttered, "She is-"

"Joshua and Wendy's?" Mira nodded, "Yes… she is."

Erza leaned back in her seat and let out a long sigh. An armored hand ran over her face as she attempted to keep her composure.

"She's sixteen years old if you want to know." Mira said while Erza remained silent, "Just had her birthday a month ago." Mira smiled. Erza's gaze returned to her friend as she spoke, "She's a very… quiet girl. Prefers to be left alone. Although Nashi always ignores that rule. She really does bring out Maki's adventurous side."

Erza smiled a little, "I'm glad to hear she has such a great friend."

Mira nodded then pursed her lips, "Why are you here to observe her? Are you… are you here to possibly take her back with you?"

"It's a possibility, yes." Erza replied, "But I want to see what she is capable of first."

"You mean you want to see if she can actually become a Jedi first?" Mira replied.

Erza frowned, "You are too perceptive, Goth Bitch."

"And you are too easy to read, you redheaded bimbo." Mira laughed loudly, "Oh… so… how long will you be here?"

Erza shrugged, "Depends on when I deem it necessary to leave. I do plan on staying for a couple days though. It'd be good for Kento to be around his family again. Maybe Galen can knock some sense into his son."

Mira smirked, "Is Kento as unruly as Joshua?"

Erza groaned, "You have no idea. Perhaps worse!"

"That's hard to believe given Joshua kept company with Macao and Wakaba."

"Well Kento has a certain friend named Ben Solo. As well as a certain idol named Quinlan Vos." Erza shuddered at the name, "One is a good friend who tends to get Kento into unnecessary trouble. The other is a petulant, obscene man who somehow passes himself off as a Jedi Master."

"Oh wow, that's some hatred if I've ever heard it." Mira smirked.

"Jedi don't hate." Erza replied snarkily, "But we can get annoyed."

"Ah." Mira replied before taking a gulp of her water, "Speaking of Joshua," She saw the smile on Erza's face wilt ever so slightly, "Are you going to-"

"Of course I am Mira. He's my brother. Why wouldn't I?" Erza replied, her voice trembling a little as she spoke, "In fact, once I was done talking to you, I planned on going to see him."

Mira nodded, "Well, then I shall not keep you any longer." She rose from her chair along with Erza, "When you get back, talk to Levy. She has the key to your old room in Fairy Hills. It's the same as when you left it. Clean too. The other girls insisted on making certain it was ready for you whenever you decided to come home."

"Thank you Mira."

The door to Mira's office opened and Erza quietly exited. As she walked down the steps though, she failed to notice the two teenage girls watching her every move. Both Maki and Nashi were eyeing the cloaked figure carefully. Frowns on both of their faces as she silently left the building without saying a single word to anyone else.

"Strawberry lady is strange." Nashi muttered before shoving a large mouthful of ham into her face.

"You got that right." Maki replied, "She wouldn't stop staring at me the entire walk here."

"And who the heck smells that much like strawberries!" Nashi exclaimed, "I mean seriously! Especially when you don't live anywhere near strawberries."

"I think you are failing to prioritize the important stuff, Nashi." Maki deadpanned.

"Really? Like what?"

"Like how she totally just snuck in and out of the guild hall. Or how she stared at me like I was some sort of ghost or something!" Maki whispered. Her hazel eyes remained set on the doors to the guildhall. Then she rose to her feet, "I'm going to follow her."

"You are?" Nashi said, her words slightly muffled by the food in her mouth.

"I am." Maki replied, "I'm curious."

Nashi gulped down the food and rushed after Maki. The pair silently exited the guild hall while everyone else was distracted by Kento telling tall tales about his adventures in the galaxy.

….

By the time Erza reached the trail in the forest, the rain has lessened considerably. Now, only small sprinkles of water tapped against the hood of her cloak as she walked through the woods towards her destination. Her boots sank into the mud as she turned off of the main trail and followed an overgrown path, barely visible to the untrained eye. Her cloak brushed against the ferns and bushes that grew all around her. But she didn't mind. A little water and dirt wouldn't hurt the article of clothing. Staying dry was the last thing on her mind right now.

Another few minutes of hiking and she arrived, the clearing. It looked bare. A treeless circle with nothing in it but grass and wildflowers. She paused at the edge. Then with a wave of her hand, the air shimmered. The image of wildflowers and grass faded away, revealing a single object residing among the tall grass and flowers. A tombstone, overrun by nature.

She frowned as she approached. A brief flash of light engulfed her left hand. A pair of clippers appeared. She slowly approached the tombstone and stood over it for a few moments. Then, with incredible care, she knelt and clipped away the longer vines and weeds that had overrun the stone. When that was taken care of, she removed the gauntlet for her right hand, revealing a skeletal, cybernetic hand. Using this hand, she scraped away the moss and dirt from the rock, unveiling the words the lay beneath.

 _Joshua Scarlet_

 _Beloved guildmate, friend, and brother_

 _X775-X794_

 _May the Force be forever with you._

She let out a long sigh. Another golden flash of light and the pair of clippers in her left hand were replaced by a small, slender rapier with a golden hilt.

"I know that you're supposed to give flowers when you visit a grave." Erza whispered to the stone in front of her. She glanced at the sword that she gently cradled between her fingers, "But… I think you'd appreciate this a little more."

The cold metal scraped against the stone as she rested the exquisite blade on top. Once she was certain that the blade wouldn't fall from it's resting place, she fell back and sat down in the tall grass, facing the grave. A quick scoot and she was now sitting beside it.

"I'm sorry I didn't visit sooner." She said quietly as the last of the rain passed over. Now only light grey clouds hung in the sky above her, "I was a little… busy, to say the least." She glanced at the stone, "Being a Jedi is way more difficult than I thought it would be."

She waited for some sort of response. As if she was talking to an actual person.

"I um… I have my own student now." She sniffled a little, quickly rubbing her eye with her left hand, "He's… he's Galen and Meldy's kid. You know him, little Kento." She laughed weakly, "He's a good kid. Headstrong, a rascal," She let out a shaky sigh, "A lot like you, I suppose. Maybe that's the result of me raising both of you essentially."

She exhaled, feeling a small tear dribble down her cheek, "I… I miss you, so much." She gulped, "So much."

She wiped her cheek, "Look at me. You'd probably be teasing me relentlessly for crying like this." A chuckle left her lips, "Yeah, you wouldn't let me live this down." She glanced at the stone, "I met your daughter today." She smiled, "You'd be proud. She's gorgeous, Joshua. I'm sure Wendy will say the same when I talk to her again." Erza gulped, "Although, I will admit. It's going to be difficult seeing her again."

Erza jumped as she heard the bushes stir to her right. In a flash, her melancholy disappeared. Her lightsaber flew into her hands and ignited the blue blade.

….

A glee filled smile was plastered all over Nashi's face.

"This is so cool." she whispered to Maki as they crept from tree to tree, closely following the woman in the brown cloak, "We are like ninjas!"

A bead of sweat dripped from the side of Makis' head, "Hey, whatever keeps you from accidentally lighting stuff on fire."

"Huh?" Nashi blinked as smoke began to rise from her hand.

"Nashi."

"What?"

"Your hand."

Nashi blinked then looked at her hand that was gripping the side of the tree. Her eyes widened and she started blowing as hard as she could to try and put the fire out. Meanwhile, Maki found a puddle of muddy water, scooped up a handful, and splashed it on Nashi's hands. Nashi gave her a sheepish smile.

"Thanks bestie."

"Whatever." Maki shrugged, "C'mon, we can't lose her."

The cloaked woman paused in front of an empty clearing. A clearing that was not familiar to either Nashi or Maki. Both girls arched their eyebrows.

"Have you ever been to this section of the woods, Nashi?" Maki asked.

The pinkette shook her head, "I've never seen this place before."

Both of their eyes widened as the woman waved her hand. The air shimmered around the clearing. Then the scenery changed to reveal a small tombstone resting in the center of the clearing. Nashi's excited smile faded away while Maki gulped.

"A grave?" Nashi muttered.

"And a concealment spell." Maki noted, "This woman does not want this grave to be found."

Nashi gulped, "Do you think it's a victim of hers? A murder!?"

Maki frowned, "Maybe… I mean, why would you hide a body unless you did something to that person."

They both watched in complete silence as the woman set a sword down on top of the stone before sitting down beside it. They could see her lips moving as she quietly chatted with herself. Surprisingly, neither Nashi nor Maki could make out what she was saying.

"I don't like this." Nashi mumbled, "This is weird."

"Yeah, why a sword?"

Nashi glanced at Maki before grinning, "Let's go ask her then!"

Nashi bolted to her feet before Maki could pin the dragon slayer to the ground. Just as Nashi made it to the edge of the clearing, the woman jumped to her feet and ignited a glowing blue blade from her hands. Nashi skidded to a halt, facing the figure. Meanwhile, Maki rushed up beside Nashi. Both terrified of what may happen, and determined to help her friend if a fight broke out.

The woman eyed them carefully from beneath her hood. Then they saw her sadly smile at them. The blue blade disappeared into a strange silver and black cylinder which she clipped back onto her belt.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We um…" Maki started, having difficulty conjuring up a convincing lie, "Got lost?"

"We were spying on you!" Nashi shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at the woman, "You're hiding something lady! You come to a grave hidden in the woods that I've never seen before, remove a-" Nashi blinked and leaned over to Maki, "What was it called again?"

"Concealment spell." Maki sighed.

"Yeah that! Then you start talking without our dragon hearing being able to make out what you are saying." Nashi narrowed her eyes at the woman, "Something doesn't add up about you."

Nashi and Maki were expecting a flustered reaction. The reaction of a guilty person. Or maybe an anger filled reaction as the woman attempted to defend herself. But instead, a melancholic smile crossed the woman's face. Both their eyes widened as they saw her hands reach up to remove her hood.

Beneath the soaked brown hood was long, scarlet colored hair and a beautiful face with full lips and dark brown eyes. She didn't look threatening or dangerous at all. Instead she looked sad. The edges of her eyes still stained by small tears that had bubbled to the surface just moments before the two girls interrupted her.

"I suppose, sneaking around wasn't the best option." The woman sighed before returning to her seat beside the grave, "I should've known better. You two have dragon slayer blood in you. You easily noticed me in the guildhall just by using your basic senses alone." She glanced at the grave, then her eyes fell on Maki, "Your name is Maki, correct?"

Maki hesitantly nodded, "Yeah."

The woman waved for them to join her. Despite their current reservations, both girls cautiously moved to sit beside her. As they did, the grew more relaxed. Maki had a feeling that this woman was not going to hurt them.

"How's your mother Maki?" The woman asked suddenly as Maki sat down.

"My… mother?" Maki replied, unsure of how to respond.

"Yes," The woman nodded, "How is Wendy?"

Nashi winced as the sensitive subject was brought up.

"She's… gone." Maki muttered, "Been gone since I was two."

The woman's eyes widened, "Oh… I'm… I'm so sorry to hear that." A shaky breath left her lips, "Wendy was a good friend of mine."

"Is." Nashi corrected while Maki shot her a dangerous look, "What? Your mom is just missing. Not dead."

"It's been fourteen years Nashi. I think it's safe to assume." Maki growled.

"She's gonna come back, Maki!" Nashi barked angrily, "You don't just give up on family like that!"

The woman raised a hand, instantly calming the two girls.

"So…" Another strained breath left the woman's lips, "Who has been raising you then?"

Maki narrowed her eyes, "I don't know. Why don't you explain to us who you are and why you are here before I start talking."

The woman smirked and shook her head, "Shy like your mother. But headstrong like your father." Maki's eyes widened, "By the force, it's like looking at a perfect combination of the two." Her brown eyes descended on Maki, "My name is Erza Scarlet. I'm a Jedi Master and, a long time ago, I was an S-class wizard of Fairy Tail."

Nashi's jaw dropped open, "Erza Scarlet?"

The woman nodded.

"The Erza Scarlet!?" Nashi said, the giddiness in her voice growing.

"Yes."

"OH MY GOD!" Nashi screamed before jumping up and down, "You're Titania! The greatest female wizard in the history of Fiore!" Nashi sucked in a deep breath, "You have been the wizard I have looked up the most ever since I was a little kid! The stories I heard about you are just… unreal!"

A light laugh left Erza's lips, "Those stories may be a tad over embellished."

Nashi shook her head, "No. I don't think so. If you are half as amazing as what my mom said, then you are easily able to do the things you've done." Nashi leaned in closer, "Is it true that you took a blast from a Jupiter Cannon head on without suffering a scratch!?"

Erza laughed loudly this time, "Did I take a blast from a jupiter cannon? Yes I did. But… it hurt. A lot. I got pretty messed up from it, that's for sure." She shook her head, "Force, that was a long time ago." She glanced at the grave, "You were only ten when that whole incident went down."

Maki looked puzzled at Erza, "Why are you talking to the grave?" Then she noticed the last name, "Oh…" She mouthed.

"Maki, Nashi…" Erza rested a shaky hand on the stone, "This is my little brother, Joshua."

Nashi arched an eyebrow, "You had a sibling? I never knew that. And I know _everything_ about you!"

Erza nodded, "I did. He was one of the greatest things to ever come into my life." She glanced at the stone, "So much fun, so powerful, so smart and kind." Her melancholy smile returned, "You were taken from us way too soon."

"I don't get it." Nashi muttered, "I mean really, I don't. If you had a sibling, then wouldn't my mom have known about it? But, in all of her stories she has told me, she never once mentioned him."

Erza frowned, "Really? Why?"

Nashi shrugged, "I don't know. If I asked a question she didn't want to answer she'd always say, it's better and safer for you not to know Nashi Dragneel." She finished imitating her mother's voice.

"Your parents say that too?" Maki replied, "Mine always say that when I ask about my father."

Suddenly, the air grew icy around all of them. Both girls glanced at Erza to see her sad smile replaced by a furious expression. At first they thought it was directed at them. But the fury in Erza's face quickly faded when she saw them looking fearfully at her.

"Sorry," Erza said quietly, "I let my emotions get the better of me there. Maki… did you say that your parents never tell you about your father?"

"Well, I guess Uncle Galen and Aunt Meldy are the closest things to parents I have." Maki replied, "I don't remember much of my mother. And all they tell me about my father is that he was a great and powerful wizard who died in the war." Again, a flash of anger crossed Erza's face, "But…" Maki felt a well of excitement build in her, "You said I was headstrong like my father? You knew my father!?" She exclaimed.

Erza gulped then nodded, "Yes… I knew your father. I knew him very well."

Maki's normally gloomy features lit up as her excitement boiled over. Meanwhile, Erza was running this situation through her mind.

To say she was furious would be an understatement. She was so angry that she had accidentally let _it_ slip through the cracks of her mind for a moment, making the air go cold. Thankfully, she reeled _it_ back in. But still, her fury was immense. To think that the guild had the gall to not tell Maki about who she was and who her father was. To dishonor her brother's memory in such a way! Erza wanted to storm to the guild hall right now and unleash like she used to do in her youth. She was so caught up in contemplating why such a secret was being kept, that she didn't notice the flurry of questions Maki was asking her.

"Miss Erza?" Maki said, finally grabbing the Jedi Master's attention.

"Hm?" Erza replied.

A crestfallen look came over Maki, "You aren't going to tell me either… are you?"

Erza paused. Should she tell Maki? There had to be reason everyone was keeping such a secret from her. Especially if it was Galen and Meldy who were making sure such information stayed secret. But the look on Maki's face, the desperation she had for this topic. It was too much for Erza.

The red head cast a quick glance at the gravestone. Then she looked back at Maki.

 _It's time your story was told._

"No." She replied to Maki, "I'm going to tell you everything."

….

"She's late! Again!" Meldy cried, throwing her hands in the air as she finished drying the last plate with a towel.

"I know she is." Galen replied quietly as he paced back and forth.

The entire day he had been struggling with this situation. He had let loose his dark powers on Maki. Something he swore he would never do to anyone he cared about again. The very memory of that action made him feel physically ill. And so uncomfortable that he couldn't simply sit down and read as he normally did. He was constantly fidgeting, constantly moving. Trying to figure out a way to explain to Maki why he wouldn't tell her about her father.

His anxiety only grew worse when he felt two new presences land on the planet. Both he did not recognize. But both were steeped in the light side of the force. That could mean only one thing… Jedi.

He had not told Meldy about this yet. He didn't want to worry her. She knew about his dark past, about the atrocities he had committed in the name of Lord Vader and the Emperor. She knew that he loved being free to live a normal life here on Earthland. What he was worried about now, in fact what worried him constantly, was the New Republic finding records in the Empire's vaults about him. About what he did. It would give them cause to take him away from his family. To execute him. To estrange his son from the Jedi order. Luke didn't know about his past. Who was he to think that Skywalker wouldn't cast Kento out for the sins of his father. So the arrival of the Jedi made him nervous. Were they coming for him? Did they finally learn of his past transgressions?

The doorbell rang, startling Galen. Meldy arched an eyebrow.

"Are you ok, Galen?"

Galen glared at the front door. He could feel it. To bright beacons in the force, standing right beyond a thin slab of wood. He rubbed a hand over his mouth.

"I'm fine, Meldy." He replied as he walked up to the door, one hand reaching out for the knob, the other wrapping around a silver cylinder he kept hidden up his long sleeve.

He threw the door open. And his jaw dropped. Standing in the doorway was Maki, a blank expression on her face. Beside her were two people he had not been expecting.

"Erza?" he breathed. Meldy heard this and her breath hitched. Then Galen looked to Maki's right. He instantly recognized the young man standing there.

He looked so grown up. His pink locks, given to him from his mother, cut short. His red eyes shimmering in the lights of their home. He looked amazing in the robes of the Jedi. They fit him perfectly. Galen grinned widely.

"Kento." He smiled.

"KENTO!" Meldy shouted as she rushed towards the door.

"M-mom?"

The small, pink haired woman tackled her son to the ground as she wrapped him in a tight hug. Meanwhile, Galen sighed, Erza chuckled, and Maki remained silent. While Kento attempted to peel his mom off of him, Galen turned to Erza.

"Of all people, you are his master?"

Erza nodded, "Yes I am."

Galen nodded then smiled, "Well… come on in and-"

Erza raised a hand, "Thank you Galen, but I am very tired after the trip here. I think I'll head home for tonight. I just thought I should bring Maki and Kento home before I did." Erza stepped away from the door, "We have a lot to talk about after all. And I want to give our discussion my undivided attention tomorrow."

Galen nodded, "Understandable. Well… we will see you tomorrow."

Erza nodded before drawing her hood and walking in the direction of Fairy Hills. Galen watched her carefully. Something was up. Erza seemed to react very coldly to him and Meldy.

"Meldy, let the boy up." Galen sighed as Kento let out a choked cry.

"Oh! Right!" Meldy replied jumped back to her feet and letting her son back up, "I just… I missed you so much little Kento!" She wrapped her arms tightly around him again.

"I'm not little anymore mom." Kento rolled his eyes before sighing, "I missed you too."

Galen smirked, "C'mon, you must be tired son. I'll get your bed made for you." He then looked at Maki as she walked in the door, "And you and I need to chat young lady."

Maki paused in the doorway, nodded, then walked to the living room where she quietly sat down on the couch facing the fireplace.

"Go to her Galen." Meldy stated, "I'll get Kento all settled in."

"Thanks hon." Galen replied as he kissed her forehead and walked to the living room.

The silence was deafening between the two as Galen sat down beside Maki. Galen scratched his neck and sighed before finally speaking.

"Maki… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

Maki shrugged and said nothing in return. Galen paused for a moment as he tried to gather his thoughts. Then he continued.

"I… I hope you understand that everything I do is to protect you, Maki." He said as he folded his hands, "Whether that is putting a curfew on how late you can stay out. Or not telling you-"

"His name was Joshua Scarlet." Maki interrupted.

Galen's face paled.

"He was nineteen years old when he died." Maki said, a shaky breath leaving her lips, "Was a member of Fairy Tail for ten years. The youngest ever to be nominated for the S-class exams. Apparently, he was stubborn, really smart, very kind, and heroic in a way. And…" Her chest heaved as she tried to keep herself from crying, "And he loved my mom more than anything in the world."

She buried her fact into Galen's chest and wrapped her arms tightly around him before crying quietly. Galen gulped, closed his eyes, then wrapped his arms around Maki, lightly rubbing her shuddering shoulders as he did.

"Yes… yes he did Maki." Her crying grew louder, "Yes he did."

 **And chapter! That was a good chapter to write! I enjoyed it that's for sure. Next chapter will be the start of a new arc you guys! Get ready, cause it's gonna be a good one. I will give you one spoiler for it. We will be returning to Edolas. What will happen, I will not say yet. But I'm so excited for this arc! The story for it is great! Anyways, let me know what you guys think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	11. A Stupid Plan

**HOLY SHIT! It's been a while! I apologize for that you guys. Last weekend I was a tad busy seeing Ozzy Osbourne in concert and this week was insane busy with work. But now it's the weekend, which means I finally have time for a new chapter! So here you all go! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 11

A Stupid Plan

Erza crossed her left leg over her right as she stared stone faced at the man sitting on the couch across from her. The morning sun streamed through the blinds of the Marek's living room window. Casting a bright orange glow on the bright room. The light helped Erza clearly analyze the man in front of her.

Galen Marek was not looking like his normal self. That was plain to see just from how much Meldy was fidgeting around beside him. He was usually very in control of every conversation and situation. He was never the inferior one in any interaction. But for the first time in a very long time, he was the lesser being as the red haired Jedi Master delivered a death glare that made chills run down his spine.

Galen glanced briefly up to see the righteous anger burning behind Erza's brown eyes before he quickly glanced away. Trying his best to make her disappear by not looking directly at her. He gulped, his gaze briefly returning to her.

"Erza I-"

"Do. Not. Speak." Erza growled, forcing Galen's mouth to snap shut while Meldy gulped nervously beside him.

Her eyes bore holes into him. She wasn't just looking at his almost cowering form. She was staring directly at his soul. Demanding an explanation for the deepest depths of his being.

The Jedi Master remained silent for a few more moments. Her fingers clenched the wooden armrests of her chair before relaxing.

"Why?" she asked, her voice quivering a little as she attempted to restrain her fury.

Galen clenched his jaw and glanced up at her, "To protect Maki."

"Protect her from what?"

"I don't know!" Galen barked suddenly before running a hand through his short hand, "Dammit, I don't know."

Erza scowled, "Did you seriously believe he could be that dangerous to those he cared about? That he would even touch a hair on Maki's head if he were alive?"

"I-" Galen glanced up, practically pleading with any higher power in the universe to deliver him from the woman's interrogation, "I never believed that about Joshua. But you and I both know what resided in him." Erza's face darkened, "We both know what happened at the Eclipse Gate."

Erza raised an armored hand, silencing Galen.

"You don't have to remind me of that." Erza sighed shakily while Meldy shuddered at the memory, "But that wasn't _our_ Joshua. You know that."

"But it very well could've been." Galen replied, "What if Joshua died early in the battle with the Emperor. That would've given the evil entity plenty of time to hijack his body and escape the Death Star's destruction."

"I'm certain Luke would've told us if something like that occurred."

"But he didn't tell you about all of this!" Meldy suddenly blurted out causing Galen's face to blanch.

Erza cocked her head to the side, "What was that?"

Galen sighed and pursed his lips, "The whole… keeping Joshua from Maki and the other children… it was Skywalker's idea." Erza's eyes widened, "He worried that Plagueis survived and was out there in the galaxy somewhere. No doubt plotting some sort of vengeance on Joshua for whatever reason." Galen leaned forward in his seat, "All of this was done for Maki's safety. And that is not an insult to Joshua."

"It very clearly is!" Erza snarled.

"If she knew about him, a connection in the force could've formed and-"

"Connections cannot be made with the dead!" Erza shouted forcing the man to back down as the air went frigid. She swiftly clenched her jaw and swallowed hard. Her eyes fluttered closed then open again, as if she was in physical pain that she was attempting to conceal. She opened and closed her hands before resting them once again on the armrests, "At least… not that I know of." She stared off into space, clearly thinking about how she was going to discuss this with her superior, Luke Skywalker.

A long sigh left Erza's lips and she nodded, "I appreciate everything you have done for Maki. You obviously care very much about her… both of you." Erza gulped, "And I shouldn't have gotten as angry as I just became. Forgive me."

"Of course, Erza." Meldy smiled while Galen let out a small relieved breath.

The redhead nodded her thanks before brushing some of her long hair from her face, "So… you've answered my questions. I'm sure you have some for me."

Meldy quickly nodded. Meanwhile, Galen rubbed his calloused hands together and slowly nodded.

"So… are you here for Maki?" Meldy finally asked, ending the silence between the three.

"Possibly." Erza nodded, "It all depends on what I see."

"What you see?" Meldy questioned.

"You want to see if she'd be able to make it as a Jedi." Galen noted.

Erza nodded, "Not everyone who is force sensitive can make it in the Jedi order. Luke has decided to be very selective with who he lets into the order. He prefers to have several weeks of observation to occur before even bringing a candidate to the temple to be further evaluated."

"Is that really necessary for Maki though?" Meldy asked, "I mean, she is Joshua's daughter. We all know how powerful he was."

"It's not about power." Galen noted as Erza nodded in agreement, "It's all about temperament and behavior."

"Exactly." Erza replied before stopping as the sound of a door opening then loudly closing rang through the house.

All three adults glanced over to the hall to their right to see, Kento Marek sleepily shuffling towards the kitchen.

"Good morning." He mumbled as he rubbed his right eye and yawned.

"Hey kido." Galen smirked, "You look like you had the sleep of a lifetime."

"I actually got to sleep in a little bit. So yeah… that was nice."

Galen arched an eyebrow and glanced at the clock in the room while his son made himself a bowl of cereal.

 _Seven?_ Galen glanced at Erza, "This is sleeping in for him?"

Erza nodded, "Our missions usually involve some long hours and early rises. But when I can, I let him rest. He needs it after all. He's still growing."

Another door opened and closed. This time loudly. The sound of shoes clopping against the wood floors rang down the hallway as Maki came sprinting by the three adults and barely awake Kento.

"No running in the house!" Meldy shouted as the girl flew by Erza.

"Sorry! I'm running late!" Maki replied breathlessly as she snagged a granola bar from the kitchen and rushed out the door. The sound of it slamming startling Kento, causing him to drop his bowl of cereal.

"Late?" Erza asked.

"She works with Kinana at the guildhall." Meldy explained, "And she is late. The guild hall is already open."

Erza nodded and rose from her seat, "Well… then I suppose I should get started myself then." She bowed to Galen and Meldy, "Thank you for allowing me into your home. If you need me I will be at the guild hall." She glanced at Kento, "When you are ready, you will join me."

"Yes Master." Kento replied monotonously as he finished cleaning up the cereal mess and began fixing himself a new bowl.

Erza quickly exited the Marek's house and stepped out into the warm morning air. She took a deep breath and turned to head towards the guild hall. As she strode down the roads she knew all too well, her fingers continuously tapped against the small hologram communications device she had attached to her belt.

She wanted to contact Luke. To confront him about his deception regarding her brother. But she decided against such an action. She felt it inside of her. The monster that paced to and fro deep in her subconscious. It was using her current volatile emotional state to peak out and rear it's ugly head. Talking to Luke would only serve to release the beast once again. She needed time to process all of this. To see the logic behind Luke's decisions.

Years of being by his side had taught her that the Grand Master did not do things without good reasons. If he truly believed that Plagueis may have survived the Death Star's destruction, then perhaps she should call and thank him. After all, Maki was blissfully unaware of the galaxy and it's dangers. And that was the purpose of all of this. Wasn't it?

She sighed and stopped alongside the main canal in Magnolia. Her gaze turned to the crystal clear waters beside her. It was ages ago since she had been home. She was just entering her twenties when she had last looked into this canal's waters. She still had a hard time fathoming how much she had changed since those good old days.

Her gaze tore away from the water as she heard the sound of wings beating furiously in the air. She glanced to the town's main gate and saw a friend she had been waiting to see for a while. A blue cat with angelic white wings came soaring towards the guild hall. Erza grinned widely at the sight of Happy. But that grin quickly disappeared as the little exceed drew closer.

His blue fur was filthy and matted down with muck and… Erza's eyes widened. Black patches of dried blood crusted his fur coat. The blue cat didn't even acknowledge her as he raced towards the guild hall, tears streaming down his from his large eyes. A sinking feeling hit Erza's stomach. Happy was crying, he was injured, and he was flying as fast as his little wings could carry him. She broke into a sprint towards the guild hall, keeping pace with the frantic Exceed. All the while, she prepared herself for the worst.

Clearly, something had happened to her old friend.

….

"Nashi... what are you doing?" Maki sighed, exasperated with her best friend. This was record time for her too. It wasn't even eight o'clock yet and Nashi Dragneel had managed to push Maki's last nerve.

"Um…" Nashi smirked sheepishly as she hid behind a stone pillar, "I kinda liked the whole spying thing we did with Strawberry lady." Her fingers tapped nervously against the cold rock.

"So that justifies creeping on Storm?" Maki nodded her head over to the blue haired teen who lounged in a booth with his Father and Mother.

"I-I I'm not creeping!" Nashi stammered, "I'm merely… um… crap."

Maki snorted, "Yeah sure. You aren't creeping." She shook her head, "Come on to the bar, I'll get you a fire shot. Maybe that'll help get your head back on straight."

Nashi's mouth watered, "Fire shot!" The pinkette tore herself away from the pillar, leaving small flames licking against the stone as she rushed over to the bar where Kinana was already preparing her beverage.

Maki couldn't help but laugh to herself. Despite her near constant irritation with Nashi, she couldn't help but admire the carefree nature of her friend. She wished she could live life as carefree and happy as Nashi. Nothing seemed to bother the girl. Any problem washed over her like water on a duck's back.

Maki sighed, glanced at the small flames on the stone pillar before quickly putting them out with the wet towel she had wrapped around her apron.

 _Better._ She thought.

Just as she turned to go back to Kinana, the doors to the guildhall burst open.

"MIIIIIIIIIIRAAAAAA!" A high pitched voice squealed.

Maki's head jerked over to the doors as she saw a blue blur rush into the guild hall. Right as the small creature screamed her name, the doors to the guild master's office burst open. Master Mirajane looked down and saw a blue cat collapsing on the cold floor near the bar, exhausted from flying so far so quickly.

"Happy!?" Mira gasped as she rushed down the stairs to the exhausted Exceed.

"Uncle Happy!" Nashi cried as she jumped down from her bar stool, igniting it in the process. The pinkette dropped to the ground beside the blue cat and cradled the poor creature in her arms, "Uncle Happy! Are you ok?"

 _Uncle Happy?_ Maki thought perplexed by the situation. A blue cat had just screamed, flew in, and was somehow her best friend's uncle. If it wasn't for the amount of worry etched on Nashi's face, Maki would be more concerned with how strange the Dragneel Family was. Instead, she was worried about Nashi. The usual cheerful grin was completely gone.

"Happy!" Mira reached the blue cat and knelt beside Nashi, "What happened!? Are you ok?"

The blue cat coughed loudly, "Natsu… in trouble."

Nashi's eyes widened along with Mira's. Meanwhile, Maki drew closer so she could hear what was going on. The others that were in the guild hall were all giving Happy their attention. The possibility of Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander, running into something he couldn't handle worried everyone in the guild hall. As this was occurring, Erza Scarlet rushed into the guildhall and ran up to stand beside Mirajane, her hood drawn to conceal her identity.

"What do you mean in trouble!?" Mira asked.

Happy opened her eye a crack, "D-dark guild… Waas Forest." He passed out.

"Uncle Happy!" Nashi cried as she cradled the small cat.

"JET!" Mira shouted, "Run and get the old woman now!"

"Aye!" The resident speedster of Fairy Tail replied before running out of the guild hall faster than the eye could see.

"Come one, Nashi. Let's get Happy to the infirmary." Mira said softly to the anxious dragon slayer.

The girl nodded and quickly carried the small Exceed to the infirmary. Behind her was Erza and Maki while Mr. Fullbuster, Storm, and the Redfox's watched from their booths.

As Nashi laid the Happy onto one of the soft cots, Mira got to work. Bandages came flying out of the first aide kit as Mira did her best to patch up Happy while they all waited on old lady Porlyusica to arrive with Jet.

Nashi sat shaking in the chair beside the cot, her eyes swollen and watering as she stared at her Uncle. Maki gulped and walked up to her best friend.

"Hey, it's going to be ok." Maki said quietly as she squatted beside Nashi, "I mean… you dad is possibly the most powerful wizard in the guild. I'm sure he will find a way back."

Nashi gulped and took a shuddering breath, "I'm scared Maki." She glanced at her friend, "This is eerily similar to the circumstances of-"

"Hey! Your dad is like ten times stronger than my Mom ever was!" Maki exclaimed, "He will be fine. Master Mira will organize a search party and-"

Suddenly, Nashi bolted up from her seat and marched towards the infirmary doors.

"We don't have time for that." Nashi said lowly. Her eyes looked back at Maki, "The spot… tonight. Seven sharp." Out of Nashi's sight, Erza bowed her head, listening intently to what the dragon slayers were whispering to each other.

Maki's eyes widened, "Nashi we can't just-"

"Show up or don't." Nashi replied, "Either way, I'm going to go find him." She pounded a fist into her open hand, "And I'm going to deliver some serious payback to the people who took him!" The fire dragon slayer marched out of the infirmary then out of the guildhall, with Maki watching in worry.

As Nashi exited the guildhall, she brushed past Kento, who initially tried to say hi to her before he saw the fury on her face. Kento arched an eyebrow and shrugged as he walked into the guildhall.

"You know what that was all about?" He asked Maki.

"It's personal." Maki replied instantly, choosing to keep Nashi's plans a secret. She knew once Nashi had set her mind to something she would see it through. There was no convincing the dragon slayer to do otherwise. She turned to Kinana, "Um Kinnana, do you mind if I go make sure she is-"

"Go ahead." Kinana nodded, "I can handle the place."

"Thank you!" Maki replied gratefully before rushing out after Nashi, leaving Kento even more confused than he was before.

He frowned before sighing and taking a seat at a booth that he thought was open.

 _Strange start to the day._

"Ahem!" Kento jumped as a teen a couple years younger than him cleared his throat. He had dark blue hair with dark eyes and wore a long white coat with dark pants, "You are sitting in Storm's spot."

Kento raised an eyebrow at the kid. He then saw a small teen girl shuffle up beside the guy, her nose buried in a large book, concealing everything about her except for the large red glasses on her nose.

"It seats four." Kento replied before scooting over to allow room for the girl to sit beside him.

Nervous beads of sweat poured down the girl's forehead. Meanwhile, the guy sighed.

"She doesn't like interacting with new people."

Kento frowned, "Well, I wouldn't be a new person if I was introduced to her."

The nervous beads of sweet began to come down like a waterfall. A small, quiet, high voice frantically whispered over to the boy. The boy just sighed and shook his head.

"Dammit all, Ellen! You gotta stop being so shy."

"Ellen huh?" Kento smiled then held out his hand, "Pleasure to meet you, I'm Kento."

"EEEP!" She hissed before burying her nose further into the book.

"Uh…"

"That's impressive." The boy noted, "You actually got her to respond to you." He took Kento's hand and shook it, "Storm."

The pair firmly shook each other's hands. Then Storm took a seat across from Kento. Ellen made a small squeal, someone looked back and forth between the two boys despite the fact that her eyes were hidden behind her book, then nervously took a seat beside Storm. She sank low into her seat, practically attempting to disappear underneath the table.

"So… Kento," Storm took a toothpick out from his pocket, unwrapped it, then placed it between his lips, "Who are you and why are you here?"

"I'm-"

"He's with me."

Kento glanced over to see his Master taking a seat beside him. The toothpick fell from Storm's lips as he caught a glimpse of the woman beneath the hood.

"No way!" Storm breathed, "You are-"

Erza put a finger to her lips, "I'd prefer to keep this quiet."

Ellen leaned over and whispered to Storm. Whatever she said made Storm's eyes widen even further.

"Is it true that you took a blast from a jupiter cannon, caught it, then shot it back at the old guild, Phantom Lord!?" Storm exclaimed breathlessly.

Kento looked confused while Erza just chuckled.

"Those stories have been told too many times." Erza sighed, "To sum it all up, I did take a blast from the Jupiter Cannon. And it messed me up pretty badly at the time." Storm looked disappointed while Ellen's shoulder's visibly sagged.

"Oh…" Storm looked at Ellen, "Storm thinks that story is far less impressive."

Ellen shrugged the flipped a page in her book.

"Can she even talk?" Kento asked.

"Of course she can talk." Storm replied gruffly, pulling out a new toothpick and placing it in between in teeth, "She just doesn't like to talk. Storm has been friends with her since we were just babies. So she talks to Storm… occasionally."

"Did something happen to her to make her that way?" Kento pressed.

"Kento…" Erza said in warning, "Stop prying."

Kento sighed, "Yes Master." He muttered.

Storm shrugged, "No one knows why she doesn't talk. It could be she just doesn't like to. Simple as that." He flipped the toothpick in his mouth, "So… do you guys have any idea what's going on with Nashi and Maki?"

"Apparently something personal." Kento replied.

"Nashi's uncle is injured and her father is in trouble." Erza answered.

Ellen jabbed Storm's shoulder.

"Yeah yeah! You told me so!" Storm replied to Ellen. He leaned closer to Erza and Kento, "And if Storm knows anything about Nashi, he knows that she will do something stupid."

Erza sighed, "Like father like daughter."

"What does that mean?" Kento asked.

"Nashi's going to do something rash and search for her father on her own." Erza sighed, "At least, that is what Natsu would do if he were in her shoes. And it sounds to me like she is very similar to that flame brain."

Storm nodded, "Storm agrees." Ellen nodded swiftly as well, then turned a page. "Storm and Ellen have a feeling Maki and Nashi will be going on a search mission. Unsanctioned by Master Mira."

"You aren't wrong." Erza replied while Kento attempted to follow along, a sleepy fog still settled in his mind, "Nashi and Maki are meeting at _the spot,_ tonight. Seven o clock."

"The spot?" Storm leaned back and took the toothpick out of his mouth, "Storm knows where that is. And, Storm wants to make sure those two don't do something stupid." Ellen nodded, "They're our friends after all. So Storm wants to make sure they stay safe."

"I want to make sure they are safe as well." Erza replied, "Kento, come, we must pack."

"Uh… why? From what it sounds like, you three want to try and stop Nashi."

Storm narrowed his eyes, "Stop Nashi? Impossible. Stopping Nashi is like trying to stop a river from flowing. It can't be done. So the best thing we can all do is make sure she is safe in her endeavors."

"So we are going to follow Nashi and Maki?" Kento asked before turning to his master, "Don't we have a mission to conduct here? I mean, I'm all for flagrantly disobeying the council but I also want to get home soon. We can't get distracted by-"

"Kento, just trust me." Erza reassured as he reluctantly rose from his seat, "This has everything to do with our mission." She looked at Storm, "We will meet you at the main gate tonight at six. I want to beat the girls to their spot."

Storm nodded, "Understood."

Ellen gave them a thumbs up… then turned a page.

….

Maki thanked her lucky stars that her Aunt and Uncle actually believed her story about staying for a couple nights at Nashi's place. She was amazed that they didn't recognize her lie. Her… Maki Marvell, going to a girly sleepover!? Yeah, that would happen when hell froze over. Maybe they saw it as a sign that she was attempting to be a normal teen and decided to not question her for it. If that was the case, then her guardians were very gullible.

She kept glancing behind her as she strode through the ferns and bushes in the forest towards the spot on top of the hill that overlooked Magnolia. It was the halfway point of her and Nashi's daily run that they did while they trained for the S-class exams. The old barn that the guild had at one time called home.

As she scaled the hill, she could see the rotting wooden structure coming up above the trees around her. Maki gulped then scrambled up the last bits of the dirt trail so that she stood directly in front of the barn. Her small hands gripped the barn doors and she carefully slid them open. She peered into the darkness of the barn.

"Hey… Nashi?"

A hand grabbed her by the neck of her shirt and yanked her inside of the barn. Maki yelped as she was dragged into the barn

"Great!" Nashi exclaimed to Maki as the girl started to calm down a little, "You made it!" She wrapped her arms around the still flustered Maki, "Thank you for coming Maki!"

"I-" Maki started before biting her tongue. If she was going to be honest, she really didn't want to come. But, she felt like she owed Nashi. After all, Nashi was the one who gave her an adventure for the first time just a couple days ago now. It may have been a brief experience. But that adventure had allowed her to access magic for the very first time. It was a gift Maki felt like she had to somehow repay. And this gave her the opportunity to do so. Even if she reluctantly did it.

"Nashi," Maki peeled the pink haired girl off of her, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Well… no." Nashi honestly admitted, "But… it's the right idea! It'll take at least a day for Happy to come to and explain everything properly to Master Mira. And only then will she send out a proper search party. And since it is apparently a dark guild that has my dad, then she will only send the S-class wizards and my mom. That's…" Nashi counted her fingers, "Seven wizards! Seven people who would have to search the entire Waas Forest! It could be too late once they actually find him." Nashi sighed, "That thought scares me."

"So you are going instead!?" Maki exclaimed.

"Yeah! Who knows my dad better than me!?" Nashi lifted a finger to silence Maki's response, "Yeah yeah, I know, my mom does. But other than my mom, who!? Besides," She gripped Maki's shoulders, "You and I have super senses. With those, we can find him way quicker than the others could!"

"Gajeel has super senses." Maki pointed out.

"But he doesn't have access to my dad's dirty laundry." Nashi grinned widely as she produced a filthy sock from her pocket.

"OH GROSS!" Maki cried as she covered her nose, "That smells awful!"

"Exactly!" Nashi smiled triumphantly, "It smells awful! Like my dad! That's how we will find him. You and I have better noses than Mr. Redfox. It'll be way easier for us!"

Maki nodded, "Ok so say that we find him."

"Uh huh."

"What do we do about the dark guild?" Maki asked.

"Beat them up of course." Nashi replied nonchalantly.

"They beat up your father! The Salamander! The guy who could practically be a wizard saint! And you plan to just waltz in there when you find them and try to beat them up! By yourself!"

"Not by myself." Nashi replied, "You'll be with me."

Maki narrowed her eyes, "I'm trying to decide if that is a compliment or an insult."

"Storm thinks it may be a bit of both."

Both Maki and Nashi jumped as the doors to the barn slid open, revealing the water make mage and his quiet companion, Ellen Redfox. Nashi's cheeks instantly turned a shade of pink while Maki frowned.

"Oh great! We've been discovered."

"No… we already knew you'd do this." Maki gulped as she heard the voice of Erza Scarlet ring out through the barn. She glanced to the far corner and saw her and Kento emerge from the shadows, "We just wanted to make sure you two actually planned on doing something this stupid."

"See Nashi! Strawberry lady agree!"

"Strawberry lady." Kento snickered beside Erza.

"You can't convince me to not go!" Nashi barked suddenly to Erza, "He's my dad! I'm not going to let some jack ass hurt him without delivering some pay back of my own!"

"I agree with you." Erza replied, causing Maki to stare dumbfounded at the Jedi Master, "That's why we will be going with you."

"Eh?" Maki croaked.

"A mission with three dragon slayers, two jedi, and a water make mage." Storm flicked the toothpick in between his teeth, "Sounds like fun to Storm."

Behind her book, Ellen audibly gulped then produced a quivering thumbs up.

"Wah! But…" Maki pinched the bridge of her nose, "I'm just going to be ignored and dragged along for the ride aren't I?"

"Absolutely!" Nashi exclaimed cheerfully, "C'mon!" She grabbed Maki's wrist and dragged the grumbling girl along, "We got a long trek ahead of us."

"Trek?" Erza questioned. The Nashi and Maki froze while Ellen began to suddenly shudder violently, "We aren't walking."

Nashi shakily turned to face Erza, "N-not walking?"

"Nope." Erza shook her head.

"Th-then that means…" Maki swallowed hard.

"The train… yes." Erza nodded.

A loud eep left Ellen's lips while Maki and Nashi's faces paled considerably.

"Please don't make us go on that death trap!" Nashi cried, "Have mercy!"

"Sorry." Erza jabbed a thumb behind her. It was then that Maki noticed the mountain of bags piled onto a small wooden cart. It had just been sitting there in the barn with Erza, "But I am not dragging that all the way to Waas Forest. So we will take the train." Erza strode out, her cart clattering against the hard dirt beneath her feet. Meanwhile, Maki and Nashi clung fearfully to each other.

"Maki?"

"Yeah Nashi?"

"Remember what you said about this possibly being a stupid idea?" The two girls reluctantly followed Erza, Kento, Storm, and Ellen towards the Magnolia train station.

"Yeah."

Nashi gulped as the sounds of trains ran through both of their minds.

"I agree now!"

 **And chapter! A slower chapter to start off this new arc! Apparently, Natsu is in some big time trouble and his daughter is all about coming to his rescue. Meanwhile, Maki is being dragged along for the ride and Erza is conducting her mission while helping the two girls in their quest. The question now is, what happened to Natsu? He was investigating some disappearances in the eastern edge of Fiore, right where the Waas forest is. Is that connected somehow? We will find out won't we? Anyways, let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you guys enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	12. The Land that Hurts the Brain

**Hey everyone! Before I get started I just want to say something. To the person who left that particularly nasty review, thank you! You helped break my writer's block and give me motivation to continue writing this story! Cause I was stuck there for a little while.**

 **I also want to reiterate, this is a SEQUEL story. A next generation style story. If you want to read a story with the main Fairy Tail cast in it, check out the one before this story, The Dark Fairy. That one also has a majority of the fairy tail arcs in it.**

 **Ok… now that is out of the way, I have a new chapter for you guys! I hope you all enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 12

The Land that Hurts the Brain

"That was the single most horrible thing I have ever experienced in my entire life." Maki groaned as she clutched her turbulent stomach.

The group had just exited the train that carried them as far towards the Waas forest as they could go. It was the longest train ride of Maki's life. While aboard that contraption of pain and misery, she felt like her head was spinning. Even after exiting the train and stepping on motionless, solid ground once again, she still felt incredibly nauseous. Nashi was in just as bad a state. Her legs barely carried her forward as they trudged behind Erza, Storm, and Kento. But the dragon slayer in the absolute worst state was Ellen.

Upon entering the train, the girl had instantly passed out. And she had yet to wake up. So Storm had been carrying her on his back for the entire journey out of the small town the train had dropped them off at. A situation that clearly irked the fire dragon slayer to Maki's right. But Nashi also happened to be far to incapacitated to be truly angry about it all.

At the front of their small party, was Erza and Kento. The pair completely unaffected by the motion sick dragons behind them.

"They are still complaining." Kento whispered to Erza as they marched along.

"I know they are." Erza replied quietly, "To be fair, if I had as bad of motion sickness, I would probably be acting the same way."

Kento arched an eyebrow, "You do get as bad motion sickness." He smirked a little, "Whenever I fly the ship."

Erza sighed, "That's not motion sickness, that's petrification."

Kento shrugged, "Whatever you say, Master."

The pair stopped in their tracks as the road in front of them delved deep into a dark forest. The grassy hills around them had abruptly come to an end and now gnarled trees with thick moss hanging from their limbs rose up in front of them. The canopy of the forest seemed so thick that the sun couldn't seem to pierce it. Storm frowned as he drew up beside Kento and Erza.

"We are going in there?" He muttered while Ellen finally made her first sound of the entire trip. A pained whimper.

Erza nodded, "Yes we are."

"Um… that's a dark forest." Nashi gulped beside Erza.

Erza glanced at the girl, "You're the one who wanted to do this. Do you want to turn back?"

Nashi blinked, "N-no! I just… wasn't expecting this."

Erza frowned and looked back at the forest. It had been a few years since she had been anywhere near this area of Fiore. This was roughly where the guild Cait Shelter used to be located. So the last time she had been here was when the Nirvana incident occurred. And when she had left this forest that time, it had been vibrant and full of life. Now it seemed dark, cold. Like a poison had started running through the soil and air. She could see her student, Kento, tense up as her hand brushed against her own lightsaber.

"I wasn't expecting this either." Erza replied before marching straight into the forest with Kento closely following her.

Storm and the others hesitated then quickly followed the two Jedi. All four deciding that it would be better for their health if they stayed close to the two people who seemed unaffected by the forests attempts to terrifying them all.

The shadows only deepen the further along the trail they walked. The sun was almost instantly blotted out by the trees above them, making it so that they could barely see the overgrown trail at their feet.

"Now would be a good time if you guys could get over your motion sickness and help us out." Storm gulped as he shifted Ellen on his back, "Can you guys start trying to smell Mr. Dragneel?"

"What do you think I've been doing this entire time?" Nashi replied as she took a long whiff of the dirty sock she had in her pocket. She then held it out to Maki, who shivered in revulsion before taking a quick sniff as well.

"Oh god!" Maki choked as she plugged her nose.

"Plugging your nose isn't going to help Maki." Nashi stated calmly.

"But it will keep me from blacking out due to the stench of that thing!" Maki roared back, hand still covering her nose.

"Both of you stop arguing and start sniffing!" Storm barked back to them.

"Aye!" Nashi grinned before smelling the air.

While the dragon slayers used their physical senses, Erza took a calming breath and reached out with the force. It was an action Kento quickly noticed and copied.

"What are we looking for?" Kento asked as they kept walking.

"Anything human." Erza replied, "There are no towns or cities in this forest. So a human presence should be cause for alarm." Another deep breath left Erza's lungs as she delved deeper into the force, doing everything she could to sense Natsu. She muttered a quiet curse under her breath.

 _Joshua was so much better at doing this than me._

"Master…" Kento whispered, dragging Erza's attention away from her task.

"Yes Kento."

"I sense something… strange."

Erza furrowed her brow, "Explain."

"Guys!" Nashi shouted loudly, "Something doesn't smell right!"

"You got that right." Maki replied, "This forest looks and smells damp, but now… it smells super dry."

"There is another presence intruding here." Kento breathed to Erza as the red head glanced back at her student, "Something… foreign."

A small squeak erupted from Ellen's lips before she buried her face in between Storm's shoulder blades.

"Something's wrong!" Storm exclaimed.

Erza ground to a halt and gripped her lightsaber in her right hand, "Nashi, what do you smell!?"

The force was screaming in warning. But there seemed to be no threats around them. Still, Erza was on high alert, both her force powers and magic becoming battle ready. Beside her, Kento activated his own green lightsaber and grit his teeth.

"I smell…" Nashi sniffed hard. Her eyes widened, "I smell sand?"

Erza's eyes widened as a bright blue light appeared above all of them. Her lightsaber ignited in her hands and she rushed towards Maki while Kento stood defensively beside the others. Just as Erza reached Maki, the blue light became blinding. Erza squeezed her eyes shut as she deactivated her blade and collided with Maki.

A feeling of weightlessness came over her. Static electricity marched along her armor and skin, causing her hair to stand on end as she kept Maki close to her. Even through her shut eyes, Erza could see the blinding light around them. It had consumed the entire forest around them, leaving her and Maki in a landscape of white light. The force continued to cry in warning, even as the light faded away.

She didn't feel like they had been attacked. Nothing on her body felt injured. She felt completely healthy. Erza sighed as she clutched Maki. Then Maki screamed, causing Erza's eyes to shoot open.

They were high in the sky. White puffs of clouds surrounding them as they plummeted downwards. Above them, Erza could see a blue circle of light evaporating in the air.

"Miss Erza! DO SOMETHING!" Maki screamed as the dusty ground far below them drew ever closer.

"I'm trying!" Erza shouted back as she gathered as much magic power as she could muster, "REQUIP!"

She was expecting that familiar golden light to engulf her body before being clothed in one of her winged armors. Instead, no golden light appeared. No armor replaced her normal Heart Kruez and robes. She remained wholly unchanged as she and Maki continued to plummet downwards. Erza's eyes widened.

 _My magic isn't working!_

Her mind raced as she quickly discarded that option. Meanwhile, Maki's grip tightened around her. Erza looked straight down at the approached hard ground below them. They were only a couple hundred feet in the air now.

Reacting quickly, Erza slowed her breathing and called upon the force. To her surprise, it didn't answer right away. It's reaction, it's reply, felt almost muffled in a way. Like it was struggling to connect with her.

"ERZA!" Maki screamed.

There it was! That old friend of Erza's that had saved her life on more than one occasion. She untangled one of her arms from around Maki and pointed an open palm at the ground below them. With a loud cry, Erza pushed all of her power at the ground. Dust kicked up high around them followed by a loud boom as her force push collided with solid earth. Erza twisted mid air so that Maki was above her. Her body tensed and she squeezed her eyes shut, willing the force to become a cushion around both of them. But no matter how much she attempted to slow the two of them down, Erza knew for a fact that this was going to hurt… badly.

….

Nashi groaned as she felt a hard, padded surface beneath her. Everything felt sore. And she had no clue why. One moment they were all walking through the Waas forest. The next moment, a blinding light engulfed them all and Nashi somehow ended up blacking out. Now, she was lying down. And not on dirt like she was expecting. Instead it was some weird, fleshy surface.

 _The hell am I sleeping on!?_ Nashi thought as she blearily opened her eyes.

Her eyes widened. Beneath her was Kento Marek. Knocked out, eyes spinning, surrounded by a small crater the two had created when they impacted with the ground.

A multitude of reactions crossed Nashi's face. First she was utterly flustered. Many in the guild would call her a blockhead, but she wasn't a total idiot. She was a fifteen year old girl after all. She knew about the relationships guys were supposed to have with girls. And now she was somehow sleeping on top of Kento Marek. Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment first. Then she heard Kento mumbled beneath her. They only turned a deeper shade of scarlet when Kento's hand unconsciously brushed against her-

"KYAAA!" Nashi jumped off of Kento Marek, small flames lighting up along his robes and she quickly retreated away. The heat from the flames, as well as Nashi's loud cry of embarrassment, startling the Jedi Padawan awake.

"WHA!" Kento cried as he jolted awake.

He frantically looked around him, his eyes quickly taking in the scenery. He was in some sort of courtyard. Neatly groomed hedges and trees surrounded the small crater that was around him on the stone walkway. A small fountain spouted water of to his right while to his left was a railing that overlooked a massive city. Kento blinked.

 _Where am I?_ He sniffed and frowned. _Something's burning._

 __"YOU PERVERT!"

Kento barely had time to look to his right to see the pink haired girl swinging a devastating right hook in his direction. If it wasn't for his Jedi reflexes, the punch would've caught him square on the jaw. He just barely ducked away from the wild punch before reaching out with his own hand and catching Nashi by the wrist.

"By the force, what is it now!?" Kento asked, "And why does it feel really hot all of a sudden?"

"Oh I don't know!" Nashi spat back, "Do you get off to touching unconcious girls or something?"

Kento blinked, "Are you insane?"

"No!" Nashi roared, "But you on the other hand, are on fire."

Kento arched an eyebrow before looking down at his robes. Sure enough, small flames had started burning holes in the cream colored robes he wore. He let out a panicked cry before furiously pounding the flames with his hands. The entire time, a smug smile of satisfaction was on Nashi's lips. Once Kento finally put out the last flame, he glared at Nashi.

"You enjoyed every second of that didn't you?" He growled.

"Absolutely you sicko." Nashi growled back before getting to her feet and brushing dust from her waistcoat.

Kento grabbed his head, "Isn't it obvious that I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"Liar." Nashi scowled as she crossed her arms.

"Nashi, I was unconscious too." Kento replied.

"You say that."

"Nashi!" Kento pinched the bridge of his nose, "Force, she's already giving me a headache."

A small warning rippled through the force, causing Kento to redirect his attention to the doorway that led into the large building the courtyard was attached to. Nashi also seemed to sense something. Her hands balled up into small fists and she got into her fighting stance.

"I smell metal." Nashi growled.

"Guards perhaps?" Kento muttered as he got to his feet and gripped his lightsaber.

The door burst open. Twelve men wearing dark purple robes and steel armor with dome like helmets came rushing towards them. The group quickly encircled both Nashi and Kento. Nashi grit her teeth and smiled as adrenaline began to pump through her body. Meanwhile, Kento's thumb hovered over his lightsaber's activation button. If any of these guards so much as took one step closer, they'd be losing a limb.

"I think they're looking for a fight." Nashi grinned, "And if that's the case, then maybe these guys took my dad!" She snarled, "EAT FIRE!" She flexed her arms and waited for the flames to appear around her fists. When they didn't she frowned, "Huh?" She waved her arms in the air, "Why isn't it working!?" She glared angrily at Kento, "What did you do to me!?"

"ME!?" Kento shouted defensively, "I didn't do anything!"

A soft, friendly laugh rang out in the courtyard, drawing both Kento and Nashi's attention towards the door once again. Stepping through was a man wearing a regal dark blue shirt and white cape. His feet were clad with dark boots and his legs covered by rich, grey pants. Atop his head was dark blue hair while around his right eye was an intricate tattoo. As soon as he stepped through the doorway, every guard jerked to attention while simultaneously watching Nashi and Kento.

"Everyone relax." The man said calmly as he smiled slightly, "There is no cause for alarm here."

Nashi glared at the man, "I'd say there is plenty of cause for alarm when I can't access my magic!"

The man nodded, "That would be a distressing situation. Trust me, I'm aware of it. But also trust me when I say that no one here is going to hurt you. After all," He pointed at the red Fairy Tail symbol on Nashi's right shoulder, "You are with Fairy Tail."

Nashi narrowed her eyes, "How do you know about Fairy Tail?"

The man smiled, "I'm old friends with your guild." He looked at the twelve guards surrounding the pair, "Guards, stand down already. They are friends."

All the armored men hesitated for a moment before lowering their weapons and backing away from both Kento and Nashi. At this gesture, Nashi seemed to relax slightly. But Kento remained fully alert. He had been in too many tense situations in his life to trust the word of a complete stranger like that. This entire time, he had been attempting to sense out this new figure in front of him. But for some reason, the Force felt muffled. It took him far longer to call upon its powers than it normally did. And that caused the boy tremendous concern. His thumb quivered over his lightsaber, attempting to determine if it was worth it to activate the weapon or not.

"So, judging by the hair and attire," The main said nodding to Nashi, "I assume you are Natsu's kid?"

"H-how!?" Nashi grit her teeth, "Are you the one who took him!? Where is he!? Tell me before I beat it outta ya!"

Again the blue haired man laughed, "Oh yeah… you are definitely related to Natsu somehow. You've got a fiery spirit in you for sure." He walked up leisurely to the pair then held out his hand, "My name is Jellal Fernandes, King of Edolas." Nashi and Kento's eyes widened, "But, you can call me Mystogan if you wish. After all, that is what I'm called by the rest of the guild."

Kento stared directly into Mystogan's eyes. He wasn't sensing any sort of treachery from the man. But a land called Edolas was foreign to him. For all he knew, this guy was a force sensitive and could deceive his own senses. He would've remained hostile to this so called king if Nashi hadn't gasped in surprise.

"I knew you looked familiar! Somehow?" She gasped, "You are the blueberry haired man from Crime Sorciere!"

Mystogan sweat dropped, "Eh… not exactly."

"Blueberry man?" Kento muttered, "Is every nickname you have somehow related to a food?"

"No!" Nashi stuck her tongue out at him, "It's just how I know him! My mom told me stories about you and your guild all the time! You're supposed to be super cool!"

Mystogan scratched the back of his neck, "Well… like I just said, the Jellal Fernandes you may know isn't exactly me."

Kento frowned, "That makes no sense to me? If you aren't the man you claim to be then who exactly are you?"

Nashi sniffed the air, "He even smells super similar to him." Kento rolled his eyes before pointing the emitter of his blade at Mystogan.

"Explain, now." He snarled, "Please." He added in, just in case this guy really was a friend. If that was the case, then his Master would probably know this man. And she always stressed manners to him when dealing with friends.

Mystogan's easy smile stayed on his face, "I suppose you two do need an explanation. I'm honestly surprised that your parents haven't told you about Edolas though." He cleared his throat, "You see, I'm a… parallel version of the Jellal Fernandes you know, Nashi. And this is a parallel universe of Earthland." Kento's eyes widened in surprise while Nashi looked completely lost, "I was a member of Fairy Tail for a very long time before I wound up back here in my home. When I returned home all those years ago, I helped your parents end a tyrannical government and the people here placed me on the throne." He laughed, "To be honest, I never thought I'd see another person from Earthland ever again. But life continues to throw surprises my way."

Kento sensed out Mystogan's intentions once again. He wasn't lying, at all. And Nashi had apparently heard of who he was. As much as Kento didn't like it, he was not in the advantage at the moment. He was good with a lightsaber, but with his muffled connection the force combined with having to possibly protect a magicless Nashi, he might not be able to win an all out fight with these guards. Perhaps civility was the best option here. Kento nodded and clipped his lightsaber back to his belt.

"I don't sense any deception coming from you." He stated calmly, "But don't think for a second that I trust you. Because I have no idea who you are and I still have a hard time believing your story."

"The others did as well. But don't worry, I'm telling the truth." Mystogan waved for the pair to follow him into the palace, "C'mon, we were just about to start eating dinner when I heard you two crash into the gardens. I'm sure you must be hungry."

"Oh I'm all about food!" Nashi grinned widely, her wary demeanor evaporating away.

Kento sighed, "I suppose." He leaned close to Nashi, "Keep your guard up. I've got a bad feeling about this."

Nashi pouted, "He just offered us food! So I like him." Kento facepalmed, "You don't have to if you don't want to. But I say he's nice and we should trust him." And she marched after Mystogan with the guards falling in line behind her.

Kento paused for a moment and shook his head at the sky.

"By the force, this girl may give me an aneurysm." He muttered before reluctantly following the group into the palace.

….

Mystogan watched in stunned silence as Nashi Dragneel devoured every single scrap of food in front of her. The girl was a bottomless pit! Her companion, a young man Mystogan did not know named Kento Marek, watched equally stunned as the girl devoured plate after plate of food.

"This is fantastic!" She cried after swallowing a large piece of chicken, "Whoever the chef is, give him my regards!"

Mystogan smiled, "Actually, my wife made the food today. She likes to cook every so often."

"Well you are a super lucky guy then!" Nashi grinned widely before shoveling another large mouthful of potatoes into her mouth.

Mystogan weakly smiled, _Yup… just like Natsu._

He noticed Kento glancing every so often at the two empty seats on either side of Mystogan. He turned to address it.

"My family usually sits there. But…" Mystogan began cutting a peice of steak, "They seem to be running a tad late today."

Just as he said this, the doors to the large, ornate dining room burst open. A broad smile came over Mystogan's face. Meanwhile, Nashi paused while chewing, the food falling out her mouth as she stared dumbfounded at the doorway. Kento dropped his fork onto the table and stared slack jawed as two woman came striding into the room.

The first was a red haired woman, roughly the same age as Mystogan. But despite her older age, she no was no less beautiful. She wore a long dark purple dress that contrasted brilliantly with her vibrant, wavy, scarlet hair.

Beside her was another woman who appeared to be in her mid twenties. She had a large chest and was just as tall as the older woman beside her. Just like the first woman, her hair was a vibrant scarlet color. Her skin was shockingly pale. But to Nashi and Kento, that made her no less beautiful. Her body was clothed in a white sundress with yellow sandals on her feet.

Kento and Nashi's stunned stares remained on the two women as they took their seats beside Mystogan.

"Sorry we are late, dear." The red haired woman apologized before placing a small kiss on Mystogan's cheek.

"Yeah, sorry father." the other woman smiled.

Mystogan wiped his mouth with a napkin, "No need to apologize. You didn't really miss anything."

"We didn't?" The older woman asked before looking over at Kento, whose brain was currently fried, "I say we did. Who are these people?"

"Judging by the symbol on the girl's shoulder they are not from Edolas, are they?" The younger woman observed as she folded a napkin on her lap.

"You are correct." Mystogan pointed at the newcomers, "These two are from Fairy Tail, in Earthland." Boht woman's eyes widened. Mystogan pointed at Nashi, "That is Nashi Dragneel, daughter to the crazy Natsu Dragneel."

"H-hi." Nashi sputtered.

"And he is Kento Marek."

Kento said nothing as he continued staring at the older woman.

"And may I ask why Mr. Marek is staring at me?"

Kento again said nothing. It wasn't until Nashi kicked him from under the table that he finally broke free of his stupefied state.

"Huh wuh!?" He quickly shook his head, "Sorry I just… you look a lot like my Master."

Mystogan arched an eyebrow, "Master?"

Kento nodded, "Yeah, my Jedi Master, Erza Scarlet."

"Scarlet is a what?" The older woman asked.

"A Jedi." Kento reiterated a little more slowly. He saw the perplexed glances on everyone's faces except Nashi's, "Do they not have a version of the Jedi in this world?"

Mystogan shook his head, "Not that I know of. And I thought Erza was a member of Fairy Tail."

"She is." Nashi explained, "But she also joined," Nashi quickly wracked her brain, "What are you guys?" She asked Kento, "Monks or something?"

Kento laughed a little, "Of a sort I suppose."

"Scarlet a monk!?" The older woman laughed loudly, "I'll believe it when I see it!"

"Mother, don't you think that was a little rude?" The younger woman suddenly said.

"Don't care!" The first woman laughed still, "It's took funny to think of Scarlet as some meditating monk!"

Kento shrugged at her reaction, "Well, when you do meet her. If you do meet her. Then I can laugh and say I told you so." He took another small bite of his food, "So… you are what, the Edolas version of Master Erza?"

"I am." the older woman replied, "My name is Erza Fernandes." She nodded to the younger woman who was drinking her glass of water, "And this my daughter, Maki Knightwalker."

Nashi nearly choked on a piece of chicken while once again, Kento's jaw dropped.

"I'm sorry," Nashi poked at her ear, "I think something is plugging my ears, um… did you just say that your daughter is Maki Knightwalker?"

"Yes." Erza Fernandes nodded.

"O-oh!" Nashi stared wide eyed at the other woman, "But…" She blinked, "How are you so old Maki!"

"Nashi!" Kento quickly snapped, remembering how their Maki would react to that kind of declaration. But to his great surprise, the Edolas Maki laughed heartily.

"It's ok, Mr. Marek, don't worry. I'm not offended." She wiped her mouth with her napkin, "When your Maki's father met my father, my father was almost twice his age. So it only makes sense that I was born a tad earlier."

"A tad!" Nashi cried, "You are at least like ten years older!"

Maki Knightwalker chuckled lightly, "I'm not that old ok." Maki took another sip of water, "Come to think of it. This whole dynamic is rather twisted isn't it?"

"Oh you have no idea." Both Kento and Nashi said in unison.

The pair were having the most difficult time processing this entire situation. Kento no longer had doubts they were in a parallel universe. The presence of a different version of his Master confirmed that. Now he was having difficulty digesting this new Edo-Maki. Unlike the Maki he and Nashi knew, this one was very cheery, light hearted, a complete ray of sunshine. It threw Kento off balance. He didn't know how to react to this. Because in his mind, all he saw was a red haired Maki in front of him. Not some other person with a completely different personality, memories, and experiences.

"This is so weird!" Nashi groaned as she plopped her head down on the table, "My head hurts."

"Want to know something weirder?" Edo-Maki grinned.

"No." Nashi muttered.

"Maybe." Kento replied, curious.

"Apparently, the Earthland version of my father was ten years old when I was conceived."

Nashi covered her mouth with her hands, "I think I'm going to be sick!"

Kento wiped his face, exasperated, "She's not talking about her father! I think? Right?"

Edo-Maki laughed loudly, "No, Earthland Maki's father and my father were two completely different people. Don't worry." She glanced at Erza Fernandes, "My mom does have standards."

Edo-Erza put her fork down, "What do you mean by that?" Meanwhile, Mystogan nervously chuckled and started to put some distance between Erza and himself.

"I don't know." Edo-Maki smiled slyly.

"You wanna throw down again!?"

"Oh bring it on!" Edo-Maki declared excitedly.

Kento arched an eyebrow. This Maki was happy, cheerful, and looking for a fight? That sounded more like Nashi than the Maki he knew. He massaged his temples and groaned. Nashi was not the only one starting to get a headache from all of this.

"I think our guests may be tired." Mystogan quickly stood, stopping the impending brawl between mother and daughter, "Maki, could you show them to their chambers?"

"Do I have to!?" Edo-Maki whined, "Me and Mom were about to throw down!"

"Maki." Mystogan replied, "Please."

"Oh fine!" Edo-Maki smiled brightly at Nashi and Kento, "C'mon, follow me."

Both Nashi and Kento quickly rose from their seats, thank Mystogan and Erza Fernandes for the meal, then rushed after Edo-Maki out of the dining room. As they left, Nashi heard Mystogan whispering to the new Strawberry Lady about a big problem out near Louen town. As the dining room door shut behind them, Edo-Maki sighed.

"Damn it I wanted to brawl so badly." She muttered before straigtening and smiling, "Follow me!"

"It sounds like they wanted to talk about something important." Nashi commented as she suspiciously watched her best friend who actually wasn't her best friend but was actually her best freind from a parrallel universe. Yeah… her brain really hurt right now.

"I don't doubt it." Edo-Maki replied.

"Problems in the kingdom?" Kento asked.

Edo-Maki nodded, "Yes. Unfortunately, there are many who are offended by the policies my step-father has put in place."

"Step-father?" Kento replied, "So, the king isn't actually your father?"

The trio turned a corner and stepped out onto a long catwalk that connected two tall towers.

"He's the only father, I've ever known." Edo-Maki replied, "But no, my actual father was a mighty general who died during the final battle of the Edolas Civil War."

"Well that sounds oddly familiar." Nashi muttered under her breath, recalling how the adults described Maki's father to her.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Kento replied.

"Eh," Edo-Maki shrugged, "There is nothing I can do about it." The trio began to ascend a tall spiral staircase, "All I can do is love the family I already have."

Kento nodded, "That's a great outlook on life to have."

"Thank you." Edo-Maki smiled brightly. She then stopped in front of a large, wooden door, "Here we are."

"So who's room is this?" Kento asked.

"Both of yours." Edo-Maki grinned.

"Uh wuh?" Kento stammered.

"HELL NO!" Nashi roared.

"Don't' worry, you won't be forced to share a bed. There is a second one in there. Unless you want to share one of course."

"FUCK NO!" Nashi bellowed.

"What she said." Kento gulped.

Edo-Maki chuckled, "I'm only kidding."

She opened the door and guided the two into a large room. Two king sized beds opposed each other on either wall to their right and left. Directly in front of them, was a large opening in the wall covered by thin curtains that led to a large balcony. The carpets in the room were made of rich wool while the rest of the furniture looked incredibly fancy and expensive.

"Wow." Kento breathed.

"Holy crap what a room!" Nashi exclaimed.

"I'm glad you two like it." Kento and Nashi both turned to look back at Edo-Maki, "You two get some rest. You've had a long day after all. Breakfast will be served at nine tomorrow morning. Then maybe we can chat some more! I'd love to hear more about Earthland and the adventures you all have had!"

"Will do." Kento grinned as Edo-Maki left, quietly shutting the large doors behind her.

Both Kento and Nashi stood still for a moment. Then Nashi cocked her head to the side.

"I'm still confused." She mumbled, "I mean… Maki's mom is Wendy Marvell in our world. But in this world, Maki's mom is Strawberry Lady. Or… Er… A different strawberry lady that looks exactly like our strawberry lady. But then that means that this Maki can't be a parallel version of our Maki because… er… because-"

"Give it a rest before you break your brain." Kento said gruffly before yawning and marching towards the bed against the left wall, "I'm going to sleep."

"Wait!" Nashi cried.

"What now!?"

Nashi smiled sheepishly, "Can I have that bed?"

Kento's eye twitched, "W-why? The other one is exactly the same!"

"But the sun will hit that other one in the morning! And I don't like having the sun in my face while I'm sleeping."

"Gah… ugh." Kento grumbled, "Fine… fine. Just quit giving me grief." He began to walk over to the other bed. A long yawn left his lips before he rolled his shoulders, "Say Nashi, tomorrow we should-" His eyes widened and his pupils shrank as he looked back at Nashi to see her tossing her waistcoat to the side and undoing the bandages that covered her chest. "Um…"

"DON'T LOOK!" Her waistcoat flew into his face, covering his view.

"S-sorry." Kento replied before quickly shutting his eyes, pulling the waistcoat away from his face, crawling into the covers of his bed, and quickly falling asleep.

 **And chapter! I am sooooo excited to write this arc! You guys have no idea! I have it all planned out and it's going to be so much fun! Unfortunately, the next chapter will have to wait until the weekend. I have to go out of town for work this week and I won't have time to write… again. Ugh!**

 **Anyways, our friends have arrived in Edolas. But how? What brought them there? And why? And the biggest question of all, where is Natsu and who has him?**

 **Let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	13. Fringe Movements

**Hey everyone! I apologize for the loooong delay. Work has had me stupid busy and life seems to be throwing a lot of curve balls recently. Needless to say, I've been exhausted for the past few weeks. But I finally, FINALLY, have the chance to write something! So here's a new chapter for you all! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 13

Fringe Movements

Maki's eyes slowly fluttered open. The blinding light from the sun high above her caused them to quickly squeeze shut, her eyes burning from the sudden brightness. Her head was pounding. As if a small hammer was bashing against the inside of her skull. A small swallow of air and she felt sand go scratching over her sandpaper tongue and down her parched throat. Her lungs quickly produced a hoarse cough in response, which subsequently released a poof of sand from her mouth. Again, her eyes fluttered open. And, through the burning sensation from the sun, she kept them open.

Upon awaking, she was greeted by endless amounts of sand. Yellow dunes and plains stretching on for miles around her, only occasionally broken apart by a dry patch of earth or a dying group of thin shrubs. A long groan left her lips as she shifted her weight to her arms as she attempted to push herself up off of the loose ground. Sand fell in small blankets from her head and back as she slowly got to her hands and knees. Every joint and muscle aching and screaming in resistance.

Maki hissed in pain as her knees sharply rejected her forced movements.

"Take it easy." A stern voice advised to her right.

Maki's gaze snapped in that direction. An action she immediately regretted. Her neck stiffened and she cried out loudly in pain.

"I warned you." The scarlet haired woman to her right continued.

"Sure you did." Maki growled hoarsely as she blinked more fog from her vision so that she could finally see her companion. With great effort Maki rolled offer and sat up. A couple pained breaths and she returned her attention to the older woman, "How the hell did we survive that?"

A small smirk came of Erza Scarlet's face, "We're wizards." She stated in a matter of fact tone, "We are made of tougher stuff."

Maki nodded, "As much as that explanation infuriates me, I'm glad it's true." She rolled her shoulders, feeling the joints creak and pop, "But I still hurt… a lot."

"Well," Erza shrugged before effortlessly getting to her feet, "We did hit the ground pretty hard." She kicked at the loose sand around her, "Good thing we had a soft surface below us."

Maki arched an eyebrow, "This is a soft surface!?"

"Softer than some I've crashed onto." Erza explained before holding out a gauntlet covered hand to the teen, "C'mon, I'll help you up."

Maki winced and gripped her hand, "Thanks."

As soon as she was up on her feet, Erza placed her hands on her hips and spun around to observe her surroundings.

"I don't think there is much to look at." Maki commented as she watched the woman glance in every direction before looking up at the blazing sun.

"There's plenty to look at." Erza replied, "Even a barren wasteland like this has landmarks or objects to help identify where you might be." She pursed her lips, "And I can tell you right now, we are not on any desert planet I have been to."

Maki gulped. That was not something she wanted to hear. This was a Jedi Master and S-class wizard of Fairy Tail next to her. And she just basically admitted that she had no idea where they were.

"And that helps us how?" Maki asked, frustration growing in her voice.

"Calm yourself." Erza quickly scolded, "Frustration stifles the mind. It keeps you from being able to problem solve." Erza took a deep breath. Then another. Her brown eyes closed and she seemed to get lost in her own head. Maki was about to nudge her to see if she was even awake when Erza's brown eyes shot open.

"Oh." Erza muttered.

"Oh?" Maki echoed, "What do you mean oh?" Erza rubbed her chin and tapped her foot, "What do you mean oh!? Is it a good oh? And bad oh!? How screwed are we!?"

"I can't access my magic." Erza muttered, as if she was ignoring Maki's panic filled questions, "Barren wasteland, one sun… no magic." Erza hummed to herself, her mind racing to process the information, "No magic." Erza's eyes widened, "Oh!"

"Again! What do you mean by-"

"I know where we might be." Erza suddenly interrupted.

"Oh!" Maki replied, "Well… anytime now."

"It isn't exactly great news though." Erza stated, "Judging from the complete lack of magic I can assume one thing." She glanced at Maki, "We are not in the same dimension as Earthland."

Maki blinked, "Uh… what?"

"I've been to a place that had very similar features to this world before. And… by the similarities of it all. I've got a gut feeling that this is the very same place I have been to before." Erza continued, "Though I don't remember the dry desert part of it. I do remember a rather large city with a big palace as well as floating mountains."

Maki's eyes twitched.

"You're crazy." Maki sighed.

For once, a wry comment from Maki managed to irk the red haired wizard. The woman frowned at her and crossed her arms.

"Is that any way to speak to your aunt?"

Maki scowled, "You aren't my aunt. You are someone who randomly came along and managed to reveal answers to all my questions to me. Then attempts to suddenly be my family. All in the span of what… two days? It takes a little longer than that to make a familial connection, I hate to break it to ya there."

Maki stormed past Erza, her feet sinking into the hot sand around her. The Jedi Master remained silent and emotionless as the girl stomped by.

"Where are you going?"

"This way!" Maki called back as she kept walking in the direction of the rising sun.

"Why that way?"

"Cause rising sun means east!" Maki snapped back, her voice growing louder as she created more distance, "And maybe… just maybe, there is a town this way!"

She kept walking. Then a moment later, Erza's voice piped up behind her.

"East is the other direction!"

Maki's lips curled into a snarl. She twirled around, "And how the hell would you know that!"

She swore she could see an amused smirk cross Erza's lips. That redhead was enjoying this!

"If we are where I believe we are, then this world is a parallel to our own." Erza calmly explained as she walked up to Maki, "Which means things in this world tend to run opposite to our own."

Maki narrowed her eyes and frowned, "So you're saying the sun rises in the west here?"

"It's possible."

"And why does that matter?"

"Do you not use your nose?" Erza asked, causing a tick mark to form on Maki's head.

"OF COURSE I USE MY NOSE! I-" Maki sniffed the air and her scowl deepened, "Salty… an ocean."

"In the direction you were walking." Erza nodded, "And if my senses are correct, it's only a couple miles away. If there is no settlements near where we are now, then there won't be any in that direction. However," Erza pointed in the opposite direction Maki was walking. Off in the distance, the teen could see small spikes of land jutting up into the sky. Barely visible even to her enhanced eyes, "That way there are mountains. And mountains usually means rain… which means water, which means-"

"Civilization!" Maki sighed, "Yeah, I get it. I'm an idiot."

"No, you're not an idiot." Erza replied as she folded her hands in robes and followed Maki towards the mountains far in the distance, "Just impatient and unobservant."

"In other words… an idiot!" Maki shouted back.

Erza paused and quietly sighed as Maki kept trudging forward. The red head bowed and shook her head.

 _So far… not so good._

….

 _What a strange place._

Kento stood quietly out on the balcony of his room, hands folded behind his back as he took in the morning air. The events of yesterday had been such a blur, he hadn't taken the time to observe his surroundings. Now that he had, it was safe for him to assume that he was definitely somewhere alien.

The city surrounding the massive royal palace seemed normal enough. It was what was above said city that shocked Kento. Mountains floated in the air all around him. Giant boulders of rock lazily drifting, bobbing through the wind in haphazard directions. He shuddered at the thought of one of those massive pieces of land colliding with the ground. The amount of destruction would be massive.

The rest of this land known as Edolas seemed rather barren. Craggy rocks and dried earth surrounded the majority of the city. But despite the bleak surroundings, the city itself seemed lively.

It was more advanced than the cities of Earthland, which surprised Kento. In Earthland, the majority of power was derived from magical crystals known as lacrima. But here power and energy were achieved through very familiar means. There were electric lamps lighting the city streets, vehicle resembling speeders only with circular wheels carried citizens through the crowded city streets. To Kento, it seemed far more familiar than Earthland.

Earthland had a strange magical quality to it. Completely unique in the galaxy. But this place… Edolas, it was slowly becoming a technological society. It perplexed the young Jedi. If this was supposed to be a parallel world to Earthland, then shouldn't there be magic?

A loud yawn broke Kento's concentration. Heavy footsteps shuffled up beside him. Kento sighed.

 _She's awake._ He thought with trepidation. Nashi Dragneel was the last person he wanted to deal with today.

"Wow…." Nashi yawned beside him while Kento remained looking out at the city, "Talk about a big place."

Kento snorted, "You thi-" He paused as he glanced over at Nashi. For a brief moment, he stared at her shirtless form before quickly averting his eyes, "You're naked." He stated monotonously, doing his best to hide his own embarrassment.

"Hm?" Nashi raised an eyebrow before glancing down at her, "Oh! I am!" An innocent smile crossed her face, "I totally forgot that. I'm not used to staying in the same room as someone else."

"Well do you mind putting some clothes on?" Kento gulped as he kept staring away from Nashi, only to find his eyes being drawn back to her gorgeous figure. _STOP IT KENTO! STOP!_ He shouted to himself.

"I suppose I should." Nashi stretched her arms high then yawned again, "Be right back."

"Don't threaten me like that." Kento said under his breath as the fire dragon slayer retreated back into the room.

A few moments later, Nashi re-emerged onto the balcony. Her black waistcoat buttoned up over her body today instead of being kept open. Kento ignored her reappearance. Right now, he was focused on his daily routine that Master Erza had instilled in him since he became her apprentice.

Nashi leaned against the balcony railing, her head resting on her hand. A long breath left her lips.

"This is boring." she glanced at the serene Kento Marek, his eyes closed as he attempted to connect with the force, "You're boring."

Kento did not reply. Although he was very tempted to snap back at her.

 _Maybe I should meditate on why this girl infuriates me so much!_

 __"Are you always this quiet?" Kento face screwed up in irritation, "You know from talking to your parents, I got the feeling that you were really rowdy."

"Would you shut up already." Kento hissed as he quickly glanced at Nashi, "I'm attempting to meditate." He closed his eyes once again.

Nashi pursed her lips and tapped the railing several times with her hands.

"Well you obviously aren't doing a very good job of it." Nashi finally replied.

"Kriff…" Kento growled before opening his eyes and glaring at Nashi, "Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you vex me so much!?"

Nashi arched an eyebrow, "You used a fancy word." Kento stared incredulously at her, "And I don't know what it means."

"It means irritate me!" Kento shouted, "Why… do you… irritate me so much!"

Nashi frowned, "I don't know. Maybe you just aren't an agreeable person."

"I'm not an agreeable person!" Kento bellowed in dismay.

"Ahem!"

Both Kento and Nashi stopped their argument and glanced over at the balcony entrance. Waiting by the doors was Maki Knightwalker, now wearing a yellow sundress instead of the white one she wore the previous day.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"Nope!" Nashi smiled.

"More like rescuing me from this stupidity." Kento muttered causing Nashi to send him a dangerous glare.

A small giggle left Maki Knightwalker's lips, "Well then Kento Marek, I'm happy to not be intruding on anything. If you two want, you can follow me down to breakfast."

Nashi's mouth watered, "Food." She breathed.

Kento felt his own stomach rumble. He hadn't realized how hungry he actually was. He hadn't eaten much the previous night. The shock of having ended up in another world and meeting his master's parallel person tended to ruin his appetite.

"We'd be glad to." Kento said respectfully.

Edolas Maki smiled and waved for them to follow her. The trip to the dining room was brief. During the short walk, Nashi frantically asked what kind of foods there were. Maki was more than happy to answer, causing the dragon slayer to grow giddy with anticipation. And as the two girls chatted, Kento observed his surroundings, just as his master taught him to do when in an unknown location.

There were guards everywhere in the palace. And not just ceremonial guards. No, these guards were heavily armored and armed. Each one carried a strange spear that Kento could only compare to a cross between a long blaster rifle and vibro pike. Both nasty weapons in their own right. But together? Kento's hand constantly drifted towards his lightsaber whenever they passed a group of guards.

"Nervous Kento Marek?" Maki inquired.

"Hm?" Kento looked at the red head and shook his head, "No, why do you ask?"

"You seem rather uptight." The woman replied, "Does the presence of guards make you anxious."

"Not at all." Kento said calmly as they descended one more flight of stairs, "However… there does seem to be a lot of them."

Maki nodded, "Yes, my step-father has nearly tripled the guards over the past year or so."

"Why is that?"

Maki Knightwalker grimaced, "Insurgents, or that's what my father calls them. Terrorists who would rather see his kingdom fail than succeed." The trio turned a corner, "But the common folk have a different name for them."

"That being?"

"Well, there are multiple radical groups in the kingdom. Each have their own influence. But… none are more powerful or dangerous than the Reapers." Kento noticed the woman shudder a little.

"Reapers?"

"A cult of lunatics."

The three stopped walking and looked to see King Jellal striding towards the same room they were.

"Do you mind if I join you three?" He asked, "I haven't quite eaten yet either and I have been awake for several hours now."

"Not at all." Maki smiled.

The four entered the same room they ate in the night before. Only this time the table was laden with bacon, eggs, pastries and fruits. Kento could sense the excitement in Nashi as the girl bounded towards a chair, sat down, then began to pile her plate high with every dish on the table.

"Sorry for her manners." Kento apologized.

The king just chuckled, "She's very much like her father. And I don't mind at all."

Kento took a seat to the left of King Jellal while Maki sat to the king's right. As the group began to eat, Kento could see the tell tale signs of strain and worry on the King's face. He was visibly exhausted. Eyes drooping as he sat in silence at the table. His face looking haggard and hair tousled. Like he hadn't slept at all.

"Are you alright, King Jellal?" Kento asked, his senses starting to probe the king's mind.

The man smiled then nodded.

"You don't look well." Maki stated concerned.

"I don't?" He replied as he sipped on some water, "Well…" he smiled sheepishly, "Part of my appearance is because of your mother."

"I don't want that mental image." Maki cringed.

"And the other part?" Kento asked. He sensed the concern in the King. The genuine fear that was hiding in the corner of his mind. It seemed to be growing with every passing minute.

"That cult of lunatics my daughter mentioned earlier."

Maki's face drained of all color, "What did they do!?"

Jellal pursed his lips and sighed, "They attacked a small caravan, coming here from Louen town. A hundred ten people in all." He glanced at Kento, "No survivors." He sipped his water, "And as usual, no bodies."

Kento's eyes widened while Nashi froze mid bite into a slice of bread.

"No bodies?" Kento asked, shocked.

Jellal nodded, "It's the Reapers trademark. Every attack they make leaves behind a single piece of evidence that it was them. The complete disappearance of everyone involved. Hell… the only reason we know the Reaper's actually exist is because on one of their massacres they got sloppy and a sole survivor managed to escape their… dungeons."

"Dungeons?" Nashi gulped, setting her fork and knife down.

Jellal nodded, "If the Reapers don't kill you, they take you prisoner. Said survivor did not know what the Reapers did with those prisoners. Only that if one of their leaders came to your cell, you were not going to be coming back to it." He grimaced, "But this survivor also detailed what the Reapers did in their own time."

"That being?"

"They worship the Phantom." Maki Knightwalker mumbled.

Kento arched an eyebrow, "The Phantom?" He leaned back, "Is that what… some sort of death god in this world or something." _It'd be consistent with the weird shit I've seen in the galaxy._

King Jellal shook his head, "No… the Phantom was… was a person."

Kento's eyes widened, "So, someone who is claiming to be a god?"

"He never claimed to be a god." Jellal replied, "And before you ask how I know that… I knew the Phantom. He was," Jellal took a shaky breath, "A very good friend of mine when I was young. He died long before this cult was founded." The king suddenly rose from his seat, "I have much to do today. If you'll excuse me, we can talk more later."

Kento's eyes carefully followed the King as he swiftly exited the room.

"That was kinda sudden." Nashi noted before devouring a piece of bacon, "Reapers huh? Well, if they come after me, they'll get a taste of my fire!"

"You don't have your fire, remember?" Kento sighed.

"I'll get it back then. Just give me some time to figure it all out!" Nashi shouted while pointing a fork at the Padawan learner, "Plus… I've got a gut feeling."

"It could just be the amount of food you have eaten." Kento said wryly.

"Oh ha ha, so original." Nashi stuck her tongue out at Kento, "No, I got a gut feeling that these Reapers have something to do with my dad."

Maki Knightwalker raised an eyebrow, "Did something happen to your father?"

"He dissapeared." Kento explained, "We were searching for him in a place called the Waas forest when something whisked us away to this world. We still aren't sure what exactly did that too."

"And I've got a feeling the same thing happened to my dad." Nashi stated, "Only he didn't end up here at the royal palace."

Maki frowned, "Your saying he may have gotten sent somewhere else in Edolas?"

"If Nashi is right, then that could be entirely possible, given the unknown nature of what took us here." Kento gulped, "We were searching the forest with several friends of ours."

Nashi's face paled, "And they aren't here."

Kento furrowed his brow, "That means that we could be the only ones in this world. Or they were also taken to this world, but dropped off somewhere else." He looked over at Maki, "How dangerous are these insurgents outside of the city?"

Maki gulped, "I wouldn't recommend traveling to another town, if that's what you mean."

Nashi jumped to her feet, "That settles it! We've got to search outside of this city for them!"

Kento nodded and got to his feet as well.

"Wait!" Maki cried as she rushed to get between them and the door, "You can't just do that!"

Kento narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, "And why not?"

"It's dangerous."

"I'm a dangerous man when I need to be." Kento growled.

"You are Earthland wizards, you don't have magic here!" Maki exclaimed, "How are you going to defend yourselves if you run into the Reapers!?"

Kento brushed past her with Nashi following close behind.

"Same way I always do." Kento patted his lightsaber hilt, "With this… and my overall charisma."

"For some reason I don't think the second one will help." Nashi deadpanned.

"It's more useful than what you've got." Kento replied as the pair moved further down the hall, away from Maki Knightwalker.

"I've got my fists!" Their voices grew more distant, "What more do I need?"

"Fire."

"I told you I'll figure that part out."

Maki could no longer hear them anymore. The pair had moved to the catwalks that crisscrossed the exterior of the royal palace. She bit her lip and shook her head.

 _They're fools! They both are! Nothing can stop the Reapers. Even the king knows that._ Maki got to her feet and rushed to follow the pair, _Nothing will stop the Reapers._

….

A lone figure marched up the red stone steps of the massive palace. Rust colored dust swirled around him as yet another one of the Korriban's infamous dust storms tore through the ancient city. Long fingers reached up and wrapped a dark hood tighter around the figure's head. When he finally reached the top of the steps he paused in front of the great stone doors.

For a brief moment, he admired the craftsmanship of the palace. On either side of the mighty stone doors were twin statues of ancient Sith warriors, both clutching lightsabers as they eternally stood vigil over the entrance to the palace. Carved into the stone doors were depictions of the Sith Empire's greatest triumphs. Including a victory that the figure had always admired. The sacking of the Jedi Temple by the great Sith Lord Malgus. Malgus was the only Sith for millennia to accomplish such a feat. Until the arrival of the mighty Lord Vader that was.

Just as the figure tired of admiring the great stone doors, they began to creak open. Ancient gears and pulleys groaned loudly as they swung inwards, allowing both the dark figure and clouds of red dust to come sweeping into the main hall. As soon as the figure in black entered the palace, the doors rumbled shut behind him.

The main hall was lit by large lamps that emitted bright white light. Drowning out any darkness and shadows that had once called this hall their home. The floors were perfectly polished, save for a small layer of dust that resulted from the doors having opened. The walls were adorned with pedestals that held priceless artifacts that the figure had not known still existed. Behind those pedestals, decorating the shimmering walls, were paintings of high art. Delicate images with brush stroke so fine and precise that the figure nearly assumed they were photographs or even projections.

At the end of the main hall, standing atop a mall flight of stairs, was the figure's destination. The ancient seat of the Sith Empire. A throne made of the lightsabers of defeated foes, Jedi, Sith, and in between. And upon said throne was a young man. His dark hair closely cropped and combed so that his pale face was not hidden. Dark onyx eyes watched the figures every step as he approached the young man lounging on the throne.

As the figure ascended the steps, he noticed two dark, flowing figures emerge from the sides of the throne. Cold and malice came in waves from the figures. A show of force to prevent someone from daring to harm their Emperor.

The figure stopped before the throne. The young man atop the throne gazed down blankly as he bowed.

"Master, I am answering your summons." The figure said, his booming voice echoing off the of the cavernous walls.

The young man pursed his lips and waved to the flowing figures in black. Both moved past the lone figure and down the steps, leaving the Emperor and the newcomer alone.

"You could have chosen a better time to arrive." Vitiate sighed, "You just let dust come into my home."

The figure gulped, "If I could control the weather, I would."

Vitiate frowned, "Well… that is why we have servants for cleaning." He rose from his throne, "Rise."

The figure rose to his feet and removed his hood, revealing an older face with incredibly pale skin and blazing yellow eyes.

"I see the dark side is already starting to eat away at your body." Vitate observed.

"It happens to the best of us." The man replied.

"But not me." Vitiate smirked, "I'm glad you arrived safely, Lord Snoke." He walked past the man towards the center of the main hall, "We have much to discuss." He paused at the center of the hall, "I just wish to wait another moment before-" the doors creaked open again and more dust poured into the main hall. A long, irritated snarl left Vitiate's lips, "Damnable dust storm."

"My apologies your grace." The silky voice of Thrawn said as he strode towards the Emperor. When he got close, he bowed lowly, "I did not anticipate such a storm."

"It seems no one did." Vitiate growled casting a glare at the two flowing figures off to the side. Both seemed to shrink into whatever shadow they could find as his dark eyes flashing orange for a brief moment, "But… weather is weather. We cannot allow it to disrupt our plans."

"Quite." Thrawn noted.

"And what would this meeting be about?" Lord Snoke inquired, his thin hands emerging from his robes.

"What do you think?" Vitiate responded, "Did you not sense it, Snoke?"

"I felt it yes."

"This disturbance that has echoed across the stars." Vitiate began to pace in front of Thrawn and Snoke, "What do you think caused this?"

Snoke frowned, "I'm unsure. It could be a multitude of things."

"I can tell you what caused it." Vitiate respond, his pacing ceasing, "A girl. I've seen her in visions. A young Earthland girl, black hair and hazel eyes." Snoke's eyes widened ever so slightly, "And a disposition towards the dark side of the force. A pull very similar to a certain Sith Lord that caused you so much grief."

"Are you saying that Lord Draconis had an offspring?" Snoke snarled lowly causing Thrawn to nervously shift beside him.

Vitiate smirked, "It seems entirely possible, yes. These visions showed me this girl, but not much more." He folded his hands, "I believe the force is attempting to show me that she is significant to our plans in some way or another. Whether that is in assisting us or attempting to stop us, I know not." Vitiate scowled, "The force refuses to reveal more for now. No matter how much I attempt to strangle information out of it."

"That could mean she is dangerous." Snoke growled.

"Don't let your personal feelings cloud your judgement." Thrawn warned.

Snoke whipped his gaze to the Chiss admiral, "Who are you to lecture a Sith!?"

"Thrawn is correct, Plagueis." Vitiate growled, the use of Snoke's true name causing the Sith Lord to cringe before his master, "You are allowing your personal vendetta against Lord Draconis to cloud your mind from seeing the vast array of possibilities. You see a threat that must be destroyed." Vitiate smiled, "I however… see an opportunity. And if we approach it correctly, that opportunity will allow us to topple the Jedi once and for all. I will personally keep tabs on this situation. You are to remain away from it."

Snoke scowled before reluctantly agreeing.

"Now that is handled," Vitiate continued, "How goes your recruitment efforts?" he asked both his admiral and his fellow Sith Lord.

"The remnants of the Empire are slowly trickling towards us." Thrawn reported, "We have managed to attract a military inclined imperial family by the name of Hux. Their patriarch runs a military academy on Arkanis. A world the New Republic has yet to reclaim." Thrawn smiled, "I've observed their training methods. I was… impressed."

"And it is not easy to impress you, Admiral." Vitiate nodded, "I will make certain to persuade them into our cause."

"There is no need." Thrawn replied, "They have already pledged themselves. The man who runs the academy has even offered his own son as my personal aide. A young boy by the name of Armitage Hux."

Vitiate grinned, "It seems loyalty runs deep in this family. Good… very good." He turned to Snoke, "And your progress."

Snoke frowned, "Slow, but gaining progress. I have managed to convince several force sensitives into our cause. However their training remains… problematic."

"Problematic?"

"They lack a leader." Snoke replied, "From their peers."

"And do you have your sights on a possible leader for them?"

The older male nodded, "Three possibilities. One of which I am attempting to persuade now. He resides on Mandalore, among the Wren Clan. Already has some training and has had brushes with the Dark side before."

"Experienced!" Vitiate exclaimed, "Excellent. We need such a characteristic. And the other two?"

"More difficult." Snoke replied, "They both belong to… Skywalker."

Vitiate's face darkened, "I see." He folded his hands in front of him, "Be careful Snoke. We do not want the Jedi's gaze upon us yet. The time is too soon for us to be in open conflict with them. Especially with Masters such as Skywalker and Tano leading them. I am growing stronger, but the limitations of this body are becoming far more apparent every day." he frowned, "It could take far longer for me to regain the power I once commanded. Until then, I do not plan to take on someone as mighty as Luke Skywalker directly." He sighed, "But this progress will do. Thrawn, begin to use this academy to build our armies. I want a fleet by the end of the year."

"Yes your grace." Thrawn bowed.

"Snoke," Vitiate turned to the other, "Use your connections to finance said army. Bring worlds to our beckon call. It is time for you to become the face of our _fringe_ movement."

"We are to come out into the open?" Thrawn questioned, "I thought you said-"

"We do not want to draw the Jedi's ire." Vitiate interrupted, "But in order to gain supporters, we do need to start doing something other than sitting on our hands and scheming. You two know how to gain followers. So do it in whatever way you deem necessary. Snoke, you will be the leader. Thrawn you will command the military. Any questions?"

Neither answered.

"Good." Vitaite strode back towards his throne, " Now go. And… I expect results."

 **And chapter! And here we see not only what threat our heroes may be facing in Edolas, but we are also seeing the birth of the First Order… maybe? At least in this story this is how the First Order comes into existence. It'll be interesting to see what happens next! Anyways, let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	14. When Aunt Erza Says Jump

**I'm back! Sorry for the wait everyone! I took a small break from this story just to recuperate and gather my ideas for it. Also, work was exhausting the past month (As in over 100 hrs every two weeks exhausting). So yeah. But my motivation is back, I'm rested, and ready to go! I'll do my best to update this story as often as I can. Alright, now that all of that is out of the way, here is a new chapter! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 14

When Aunt Erza Says Jump...

A long frown spread over her face as she stared down into the dark depths of a cave embedded within the mountainside.

"Seriously?" Maki muttered before glancing over to the Jedi Master on her right, "We come this way looking for civilization," She looked back to the cave. The sunlight barely penetrated the shadows within. Maki could feel a small spurt of fear in her chest as she stared into its mouth. For all she knew, there were monsters in there. Ready to devour her whole. Or perhaps bandits? Back on Earthland, this would be a prime spot for both. At least, that was according to all of the old stories she heard from the adults about their days as young wizards, "This is what we find?" She continued, irritation building in her voice, "A cave!"

"A cave is a good thing." Erza shrugged.

"A good thing!?" Maki was practically tearing her hair out of her head, "My god, do you not look at the reality of the situation!?"

"Reality?"

"We are stuck in the middle of a wasteland!" Maki shouted at the top of her lungs. Her voice carrying into the cave and echoing back at her, "We have no water! No food! No shelter! And no idea where anyone else could be!"

"Correction." Erza replied.

"What?" Maki growled.

Erza nodded at the cave, "We have shelter."

Maki blinked, her head slowly turning to look into the cave. From it's depths she could hear her own distorted echoes coming back to her in haunting calls. Her spine shivered and she turned back to Erza.

"Oh no! Hell no!"

"Why not?"

"We don't know what's down there!"

"Exactly." Erza remarked, "We don't know what's down there." The red haired Jedi took a step into the darkness.

"And that makes you want to go in there!?"

"Trust the force, Maki." Erza replied softly, "You cannot fear everything in the world. Otherwise, you miss out on all of the adventure." She waved for Maki to follow. Maki huffed, brushing some of her black hair away from her eyes before following Erza, muttering under her breath as she walked.

"So…" Maki huffed as she folded her arms, "What do you think we'll find in here?"

"Must we always have to find something wherever we go?" Erza replied.

Maki cocked an eyebrow, "Do you ever give a straight answer? Or do Jedi always speak in riddles?"

Erza chuckled lightly, "Not everything is going to be straightforward, Maki. You need to think critically. A cave is a perfect place to take shelter from the sun. And many times, caves may have some form of water in them." Erza's eyes had slowly begun adjusting to the darkness within the cave. She could now make out the edges of the walls, as well as the many rocky boulders that lined the cave floor. She saw a long dip and paused, "You need to learn to trust your instincts. They won't lead you astray. After all, I'm trusting my instincts right now."

Maki frowned, "I thought you told me to trust the force, or whatever that is."

"Do both." Erza grunted as she lowered herself down the ledge. Her feet swung precariously in the air for a moment before she dropped down, a shower of pebbles and dirt following her, "Many times, the force and your instincts are intertwined." She held out her hand, "Now jump."

Maki scoffed, "I'm not going down there!"

Erza shook her head, "You don't have much of a choice."

"Nope! Not doing it!" Maki turned her back from Erza, "Every decision you've made has gotten us into a bigger mess in my opinion. So…" She turned back to Erza and gave her a smug grin, "I'm going to trust my instincts."

She saw Erza's eye twitch ever so slightly from her response. Maki chuckled to herself and turned away from the ledge.

 _That should tell her._

A strong hand gripped the back of her shirt. Maki yelped out in surprise before feeling herself being yanked from her feet and flung down off the edge. She landed on the bottom with a loud thud. Instantly, a sharp pain erupted from her backside.

"OW!" She howled, wincing and rubbing her behind. Standing over her the entire time, was Erza.

She winced again before seeing Erza's small smirk. Maki's balled her fists up and jumped to her feet.

"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!?"

"I told you to jump, and you didn't jump. So I pulled you down." Erza replied in a matter of fact tone.

"I WAS FOLLOWING MY INSTINCTS!"

"And they were wrong." Erza retorted calmly as she continued marching into the darkness.

"Wah-you-ah-argh!" Maki stammered, her feet stomping as she marched behind Erza, "You're stupid force makes no sense." She muttered under her breath.

That elicited a loud laugh from Erza, "You're right!" Erza cried, "Many times, it doesn't make sense." Erza bowed her head for a moment as she walked, "So much doesn't make sense."

 _Why would you keep Joshua from her Luke?_

The thought had been plaguing her mind since she had learned the truth from Galen and Meldy. Luke, one of the people Erza trusted wholeheartedly, had done something that impacted her niece's entire laugh. And he did so behind her back. Not only that, but he also concealed the fact that Wendy has been missing since Maki was two years old. She knew none of this. Hell, she didn't even know Maki was her niece until she met the girl. She thought every part of Joshua had left the galaxy when he died.

 _Luke kept all of this from me._ Erza scowled, _And I will find out why._

*CLANK*

"Ouch!" Maki cried as she hopped up and down on one foot.

Erza sighed, "Are you alright?"

"I hit my foot on something!"

She shrugged, "Most likely a rock."

*Ding*

Erza straightened instantly and whipped her head around to look at Maki. The girl was investigating a large rock that was the cause of her hurting her foot. But when Maki kicked it again, it didn't sound like a rock at all. It pinged and rang, like Maki had just kicked a hunk of hollow metal.

"Uh…" Maki gave Erza a puzzled look, "Pretty sure a rock doesn't make that sound when you hit it."

Erza narrowed her eyes and moved up to where Maki was standing. She quickly crouched down, her brown eyes carefully scanning the rock. She brushed it's surface with her right hand, the sensors in the cybernetics detecting the unnatural feel of the stone.

 _It's a casing of some sort._

With her left hand she grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it. A sapphire glow filled the darkness. Erza carefully angled the blade and slashed it into the rock. Instead of the stone turning to slag as most natural rock would do, she found the blade cutting into the rock. The edges of the gash her blade left melted and curled inward.

"Metal." She mumbled before noticing a small, blinking red light inside of the fake rock, "And hollow?"

Erza sheathed her lightsaber and clipped the hilt back onto her belt. Both of her hands gripped the melted edges. Maki's eyes widened as Erza pryed the metal casing apart with just brute strength. The Jedi Master frowned and stared at a red light blinking over what appeared to be a button of some sort.

"What on Earthland?" Erza mumbled, brushing her hand along the edges of the strange device.

"What is it?"

Erza subtly shook her head, "I'm not sure." Her hand brushed over the button.

The light stopped blinking. Erza held her breath, every muscle tensing as a long groan filled the tunnel. The sound of large gears turning and chains rattling filled her ears. And the force whispered low in warning.

The a section of the right wall began to swing inwards, the bottom scraping loudly against the rocky floor of the cave. Then it stopped with a loud clank, causing Maki to wince.

"Loud!" She hissed, "Why did you-"

Erza raised a hand, forcing Maki to instantly be silent. She could feel a darkness in the force that made her shudder. A deep sense of forebodeing filled her heart.

The doorway led into a perfectly square tunnel. No torches or lights illuminated the tunnel, disguising any other features. Despite the ambiguity of their discovery, Erza could not help but feel a tremendous amount of hesitation as she eased her way towards the doorway.

She opened up her mind, allowing the force to flow freely within her. Doing her best to recall every lesson on sensing other life forms that she could. Her eyelids gently closed. Her lungs inflated then deflated in a gentle rhythm as she traveled the force's smooth currents, searching for anything out of the ordinary.

 _Nothing?_ She thought as she continued her search, _Not possible. There has to be-_ She froze. Deep in the darkness, she sensed a familiar presence. A warm, fiery presence.

"Natsu." She mumbled.

"What did you say?" Maki whispered.

Erza glanced back at Maki. She then removed her lightsaber from her belt and gripped it tightly in her right hand, "Stay close to me." She ordered Maki, "There is someone down there. And if it is who I think it is, then there is danger here."

Maki gulped then nodded. She edged closer to Erza, making sure that the Jedi Master was within arm's reach before the pair began to slowly make their way into the tunnel.

Upon entering the tunnel, they both froze as loud clanks and groans filled the air around them. The sound of the door scraping against the floor caused both to suck in a breath.

"Oh no!" Maki whispered, whirling around to see their way out sealing shut behind them. She rushed up to the door and shoved. Then she tried gripping the rocky edges in order to pull it open, "Damn it!" She exclaimed, "We are-"

"Trapped." Erza finished, "It appears we are." Maki saw a look in Erza's eyes that she had yet to see. It was a look that screamed apex predator. Erza was in battle mode. Every sense she had was on high alert. Every movement in the tunnel was carefully scrutinized by her as she inched over to Maki, "There's only one way to go now."

Maki gulped and stared down the tunnel, "I don't want to go that way."

Erza nodded, "Neither do I." Maki felt a pit form in her stomach. Was Erza Scarlet, the incredibly powerful Erza Scarlet, admitting that she was a little bit afraid right now. Maki could feel her stomach doing flips and her hands start to tremble at the thought.

"I have a really bad feeling about this." Maki muttered.

"So do I. But…" Erza stared down at Maki, "I also have a feeling that this is where we will find Natsu." Maki's eyes widened, "We must take a look."

Maki nodded, "O-ok."

"Like I said. Stay close to me. And do as I say. Understand?"

"R-right."

"Good." Erza nodded, giving Maki a reassuring smile. She then started walking, Maki staying close to her side. All the while, Erza's thumb never left the ignition on her lightsaber.

….

Kento stared down at the tattered remains of a shirt. Dried blood caked the brown fabric as it rested in dirt pock marked by deep scratch marks. The young padawan closed his eyes shook his head. The person who owned this shirt clearly met a horrible fate at the hands of some sort of monster.

Himself, Nashi, and Maki Knightwalker stood in what remained of a ruined trade convoy. Wagons littered the road and wayside, upturned or splintered. Crates were shattered open, majority of their contents missing. And all over were stains of blood. A grisly sight that, if Kento wasn't accustomed to violent missions with the Jedi, would've made his skin crawl.

He knelt down into the dirt and ran a hand over the deep trenches dug into the road.

"Five claw marks." He heard Maki Knightwalker mutter as she stood beside him, the wind causing her red hair to wave in the air, "Legions."

"Legions?" Kento asked.

"Winged creatures. Very powerful…" Edo Maki took a breath, "And in the wrong hands, very dangerous." Kento rose to his feet, "The royal army uses them as attack animals, transportation, pretty much for everything that vehicles are unable or unavailable to do."

Kento nodded, "And the Reapers have got their hands on them now." He shook his head again, "Flying creatures." he cursed under his breath, "That'll make it difficult to track them."

Edo Maki's eyes drooped, "Even for her?" She asked, nodding to Nashi, who stood silent next to a small doll in the road, "I remember the stories my mother told me. Dragon Slayers have incredible senses."

"They do." Kento agreed, "But that doesn't mean they are fast enough to keep up with the scent." He moved over to the pinkette, who hadn't moved a single muscle since she stumbled on the small doll shaped like a rabbit. "Nashi?"

"Y-yeah." Nashi replied, her voice uncharacteristically quiet.

"Are you ok?" Kento asked.

 _Of course she isn't you idiot._ He reprimanded himself. _This is probably the first time she has ever seen something as horrific as this._

"I'm… I'm fine." Nashi tore her eyes away from the doll in the road and wiped her eyes, doing her best to hide a small tear that was threatening to drip down her cheek, "Just got some dust in my eye."

Kento nodded, "Dust in the eye. Happens a lot in situations like this." He sighed, "Happened to me when I saw something like this for the first time."

Nashi blinked and looked at the Jedi Padawan. He was looking away from her. Staring far off, as if he was reliving some horror he had not told anyone about yet. She saw him swallow hard before taking a breath.

"How far can legion's fly?" Kento asked Edo Maki.

"Depends." Edo Maki replied, "If it's a White Legion, we're talking a pretty significant distance. They are smaller than their Black counterparts. If it's the other, then not too far. Maybe a hundred miles at most."

"A hundred miles." Kento nodded, "Nashi, can you smell what direction they may have gone in?"

Nashi didn't reply, she was once again transfixed by the doll.

"Nashi!"

"Uh…" Nashi gulped, "Wait…" She blinked, "Maki, you said the Reapers take some of their victims alive, right?"

"Yes." Edo Maki nodded.

Kento started to see where Nashi was going with this. His eyes scanned the scratches in the ground again. They were muddled together in some parts. But if he was counting correctly, then he counted only five or six legions in the area.

"How many people can a legion carry?" Kento asked.

Edo Maki paused to count in her head, "No more than five or six. They have round bodies, so it wouldn't be easy for more than that to stay on."

"Five or six. And this caravan had a hundred in it."

Edo Maki's eyes widened, "It did!"

"So they couldn't have transported the victims with the Legions. Not in such a short span of time. They'd need a hide out nearby in order to do that."

Edo Maki stared awestruck at the young Padawan. No one in the royal army had thought of that. Every time they had arrived at the sight of an attack, most commanders had assumed that the Reapers had simply disappeared into the wind. After all, no one really knew what a Reaper looked like. The man who did escape was half delirious when the royal army found him. Most of his descriptions were dismissed as madness. The escapee did claim that the Reapers were sentient dragon machines, feeding off of human souls. Even her step-father, for all his willingness to believe in the impossible, admitted that idea was absolutely ludicrous.

But the royal army had never reported an attack occurring with Legions. There was never enough evidence to show how the attack was carried out. Which meant one thing.

The Reapers got sloppy. And now they were about to pay for it.

"Nashi." Kento looked at the fire dragon slayer, "Find a scent and get on it. We'll follow you."

"R-right." Nashi replied quietly before bending down to pick up the doll. She gulped then sniffed it. After gently setting it back down in the earth, Nashi sniffed the air. She paused for a moment before smirking and pointing east, "That way!"

"Let's move!" Kento barked, "There may be survivors."

Edo Maki nodded, "I'll get the mobile started."

A mobile. Edolas's response to the loss of magic for vehicles. An invention of a late-great wizard named Dragion. When he died, his close friend, a woman named Lucy Ashley, set herself on making the machine he loved something everyone could enjoy. And now, powered by the marvels of science instead of magic, the mobile was the preferred form of travel, for those who could afford it. Thankfully, Edo Maki was the princess of Edolas. And her mobile showed it.

It was a sleek design. A dark purple color cabin that sat low to the ground. The tires were specially made for the dirt roads that crisscrossed the country. As Edo-Maki got into the driver's seat she couldn't help but giggle. Not just because she was excited to drive her mobile, but because she was watching Kento drag Nashi to the vehicle.

"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" Nashi cried as she struggled to get away from Kento's iron grip on the back of her waistcoat.

"Don't make me mind trick you!" Kento growled back.

"What does that even mean!?"

"Want to find out!?" Kento snapped. Nashi stayed quiet, "Didn't think so. Now get it the speeder!"

"Mobile." Edo Maki corrected.

"Whatever!" Kento exclaimed as he slammed the door shut on Nashi.

"NO! GET ME OUT! DON'T PUT ME THROUGH THIS-" Kento shut his door and the engine started. The wheels moved a single inch. Suddenly, Nashi could no longer speak. She could only groan and whimper as she curled up into a ball on the back seat and did her best not to vomit, "The world is spinning." She mumbled.

"Nashi, which direction." Kento asked.

She didn't reply. Only shook her head.

"Nashi we don't have time for this." Kento said with an irritated sigh.

"You're mean." She pointed a trembling hand at Edo Maki, "She's nice. I'll talk to- ulp- her." She gagged again, "I'm gonna hurl soon."

"Not in the mobile!" Edo Maki snapped back.

"Both of you are mean!" Nashi moaned.

"Which direction!?" Both Edo Maki and Kento snapped.

"That way." Nashi pointed a quivering hand towards the driver's side window.

"East." Edo Maki nodded, "Alright, east it is. If the trail changes, let us know."

"I'll- *ulp*- try my- *gulp*- best."

"That's all we ask for." Kento sighed before tapping the driver's seat, "Alright, Maki, let's move."

Edo Maki nodded, shifted the mobile into gear, and shot the mobile off into the wasteland.

….

Light flickered at the end of the dark tunnel, causing both Erza and Maki to grind to a halt. Erza narrowed her eyes, raising what powers she could summon in this world to their fullest heights. She felt Maki grip the sleeve of her robe. A small smile formed on Erza's lips. Maki may not be very fond of her, but from the looks of things, she trust her to be her guardian in this world.

 _It's a start._ Erza thought before returning her attention to the flickering yellow light that danced in the shadows.

"It may just be a torch or lamp of some sort." Erza whispered to Maki, "But if it isn't. If it's someone… hostile. Let me deal with it."

Maki silently nodded then followed Erza's lead forward. Erza's booted feat barely made a noise as she lightly stepped along the rocky floor. Maki on the other hand… well... an elephant would've been better at sneaking around.

 _She'll learn soon enough._ Erza thought, _Hopefully._

The pair got close to the flickering light. It was then that they heard a pair of voice. Erza's muscles tensed while Maki froze beside her. Both pressed themselves against the wall nearest to the flickering light.

"What is it?" Maki whispered only for Erza to raise and hand and silence her.

"I'm telling you right now, the Prophet will be coming here soon." A gruff voice growled.

"Yeah right." A voice as smooth as silk yet still very high pitched replied, "And I'm the legendary Phantom." He finished with heavy sarcasm.

Erza's blood froze in her veins. The Phantom, that was a name she had not heard in a very long time. She recalled the crazed military leader of the Edolas army. How incredibly adept he was in battle. Her face dropped as she recalled his tragic downfall. How he died in the arms of the one he loved.

 _Why would they be discussing the Phantom?_ She wondered as she edged closer to the corner, _And who is this Prophet?_

"Trust me, Skago." The gruff voice continued, "I heard it from Lord Igneel myself."

Erza's eyes widened, _Lord Igneel!?_

"Like he actually talks to you."

The voices began to fade away, and with it, the flickering light. It seems that the two voices were guards of some sort. Charged with patrolling this tunnel. Erza breathed a sigh of relief. It's a good thing they weren't noticed. She didn't want to get into any battle without knowing the entire situation.

"He does! Too!" The gruff voice said as the two guards drifted further away.

Erza closed her eyes.

 _Good. We should keep moving._

"ACHOO!"

Erza froze. Her head then slowly turned to look at Maki, who was holding her nose.

"I'm sorry." She squeaked.

"Eh, what was that?" The gruff voice asked.

"Someone's in the tunnel?" The silky voice replied before laughing, "Maybe it's your Prophet!"

"Quit joking! I heard something, I know I did!"

Erza held her breath as did Maki. Her grip on her lightsaber tightened as she heard footsteps drawing near them once again. The torchlight that flickered in the crossing hall grew brighter.

"Look, we'll check to satisfy your paranoia." The silky voice commented, "But I'm telling you, there is nothing in that tunnel. The entrance is sealed."

Erza closed her eyes and cursed under her breath. She could sense them. The pair were about to turn the corner. And once they did, her and Maki would be seen. Then these guards would sound the alarm.

It was possible that they were not hostile. But given how they referred to the Phantom and a mysterious prophet, Erza had a feeling this was not a place the uninitiated were meant to be in. She could also feel a darkness hanging over the area. A darkness she did not like one bit. She looked at Maki and nodded to her.

"When I say so, get down." She whispered.

Maki gulped and nodded.

The footsteps drew to the end of the hall. Then the guards appeared around the corner. One was very tall and broad. It looked like he could barely fit inside of the tunnel he was stationed in. The other was short, only reaching his partners hip, and bone thin. They both wore light colored robes with leather armor over top. No doubt to help with the heat of the desert this place was located in. Their hands were covered with leather helmets and cloth masks. Only their eyes were visible from their faces. And in their hands were long, jagged spears with a strange circular opening at the very tip.

"See, told you there was no-" The large man started

"Skago! THERE!" The short one thundered lowly. "Intruders!"

"Eh!?" The taller man croaked.

Both leveled their spears at Erza and Maki. In an instant, Maki raised her hands.

"Don't stab!" Maki cried.

Erza just shook her head and sighed. Her eyes glanced at the hilt in her left hand before she subtly moved it behind her back. _Maybe I can talk my way out of this first?_

"Uh… hello." She waved with a sheepish smile, shocking Maki with how innocent she was acting, "Sorry um… sirs… but uh… me and my um… daughter," Maki stared appalled at Erza, "Got lost in the cave and we accidentally tripped something and uh… yeah… here we are."

The larger guard lowered his spear, "Eh Skago, just some lost girls." He said, his high pitched voice grating with Maki's ears.

"I know that," The short one rumbled, "But I don't think she's telling us the truth."

"Huh?"

The short one groaned and turned to his companion, "The only way she would've gotten in here is if she knew where the button was! And only fellow Reapers know where the button is, you dolt!"

"Oh! Right!" The large one raised his spear again, "Don't lie to us again, lady."

Erza cringed. She sighed and waved a hand in front of the two guards.

"You did not see us." She said as she reached out with the force and tried to touch their minds. The two guards stared blankly at her.

"Heheh… HAHAHAHAHA!" THe short one began to laugh. Meanwhile, Erza's eye twitched before she glanced at her hand, "What is that!?" The short guard guffawed, "Wave you hand in front of us and say we didn't see ya! What do you take us for, fools!?"

Erza started to laugh with them, completely confusing Maki, "Maybe." Erza admitted, "Especially considering the fact that you didn't check me for weapons."

The two guards stopped laughing instantly.

"Eh?" The short one uttered before a sapphire blade slashed through his wrists. Just before the guard could cry out in pain, Erza's right hand gripped his mouth and slammed his head into the ground, knocking him out.

"SKAGO!" The larger man squealed, "Why you- I'm going to!"

Erza's blade moved lighting quick. An azure arc of light sliced through the dark air as she slashed through the second guard's spear. The guard, now holding just a broken stick, began to tremble. Even Maki stood completely petrified as Erza gripped the second guard by the neck of his armor.

"Hi! I'm here for a friend of mine. You're holding him prisoner." Erza growled, "And you will take me to him. Understand?"

The man whimpered then nodded.

"Good. Now get moving." Erza shoved him in front of her, "And don't even think about betraying us. I can be very scary when I need to be." She finished with a glare that would haunt many of Maki's nightmares.

"Y-yes m-ma'am." The guard trembled, gripping his torch with a sweating hand. He turned on his heel and waved for the Erza and Maki to follow him, "T-this way. I'll t-take you t-to y-your friend."

Erza nodded and deactivated her blade. She clipped it to her belt and followed the guard, Maki in tow.

"I-I thought you were supposed to be a Jedi!?" Maki whispered sharply to Erza.

"I am." Erza replied.

"But you almost killed that guy back there!"

"But I didn't." Erza reminded her as they continued into the labyrinth of tunnels.

"Aren't you supposed to defuse the situation! Not escalate it! That's what my aunt always told me."

Erza chuckled, "I did defuse it. I used my favorite tactic."

"And that is?" Maki replied, almost afraid to even ask.

"Aggressive negotiations." Erza smirked, "And if you ever meet Quinlan Vos, don't tell him I enjoy it."

More lights appeared up ahead, signaling the end of marching through the tunnels. The small space opened up into a massive cavern. In the center of the cavern was a massive fire pit. And around it were dozens of people, dancing and chanting.

"This way." The guard nodded for them to follow him to another tunnel on the other side of the cavern.

"Why?" Maki whispered while at the same time wondering who in the world Erza was talking about.

Erza scowled, "Cause then that bastard really won't leave me alone."

 **And chapter! Uh oh… Maki and Erza have stumbled on the Reapers. Meanwhile, Kento, Nashi, and Edo-Maki are on the hunt for them. But where are Storm and Ellen!? And what about Natsu? We'll find out soon, don't worry. Anyways, let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	15. The Salamander

**HOLY CRAP! It's been awhile! I apologize for the long wait on a new chapter. I chose to take some time off from this story (or Saga? Would it be considered a saga if the first story is over 600,000 words? I dunno). The reasons for that were: A- Really bad writer's block. I just got plain old fashioned stuck. B- I wanted to start a rewrite on one of my other stories. And C- I'm actually working on a completely original novel. It's slow going, but I'm working on it. So that's why I haven't been updating very regularly. I'll try to be better about that going forward. Anyways, let's get back into the story!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 15

The Salamander

The first time his cell door opened caused a mixture of emotions to burst forth from him. First pain, the bright light of the torches that lined the hall outside of his cell was something that he was no longer used to. Second, anger. He watched as those dark wizards. Or what he thought were dark wizards. Marched in and tossed a new person into his cell. A small girl that landed roughly and did not move when she hit the ground. And finally, as the cell door closed, and as he strained against his chains, he felt an emotion that he rarely ever felt.

Natsu Dragneel felt fear.

The latch to his cell door closed with a loud clunk, and once again, darkness consumed the world around him. The only company he had now, was the unconscious girl, sprawled out in the middle of his cell. Not bound in chains like he was.

These chains. He hated them. He rarely hated anything. But the feeling of cold metal pinning his hands above his head, he hated that feeling. More than anything else though, he hated the other emotion that came along with the cold on his wrists. He felt helpless. Every attempt he made to free himself failed. When he was first captured he had tried fighting his way out. But he failed. His fire did not respond. His magic was gone. And he did not know why. Nothing was explained to him. And nothing made sense.

Now, all he could hope for was that Happy somehow got away. That his best friend was able to get through the chaos and get back to Fairy Tail. Maybe there was a search party looking for him now. He had a feeling Mira would be quick about organizing a search. But the Waas forest was a big place. He sniffed the air once again and frowned.

He wasn't even certain he was in the Waas forest anymore. Something about the air. It smelled dry. As far as he could remember, the Waas forest was a pretty humid place.

 _If I'm not in the forest then how are they going to find me?_ Natsu thought, his head leaning back up against the wall of his cell, _Hopefully Gajeel can pick up on my scent._

A small groan dragged Natsu away from his thoughts. The girl that now shared his cell was slowly waking up. Her thin arms were bound behind her back by a small cord. And as she awoke, she uttered a panicked gasp and began to struggled with her binds. Her small fingers frantically writing invisible letters in the air.

Natsu sighed. This poor kid was terrified, "Hey." he said quietly causing a small yelp to come from the girl. And her fingers began to move even more fervently.

"Hey!" Natsu said more forcefully as he tried to get through to the girl. He loud panic riddle breaths ringing in his ears, "You need to calm down!"

Her fingers stopped moving.

"There you go." Natsu said gently, "Just take a deep breath now. You're gonna be ok."

The girl's shallow heaves slowly faded as she inhaled and exhaled. Once she had stopped shaking, she slowly rolled over to face Natsu.

She was very young. Probably fifteen years old, maybe younger. Her black hair was long and shadowed out most of her pale face. Although Natsu could see red glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose.

"That's better." He said calmly as the girl stared at him through her long hair, "Ok. Just stay calm. Panicking won't help in this situation."

The girl simply nodded.

"First things first," Natsu leaned forward a little, "Tell me your name."

Suddenly the girl began to sweat. Large beads ran down her face like rain drops in a storm. Her face grew even paler and she began to shake once again.

"O-ok." Natsu stammered, seeing the girl's nervous reaction, "You don't have to say your name if you don't want to. It's just that I haven't had any social interaction with anyone in months. Well… unless you count a talking blue cat as social interaction."

The girl stopped panicking and she stared wide eyed at Natsu.

"What?" he asked, "Do I got something on my face?"

"Mr. Dragneel?" She said, her voice a small, hoarse whisper. Even Natsu could barely hear her speak.

Natsu simply grinned at her, "Yup, that's me!"

The girl said nothing more. She just shifted uncomfortably on the cold ground and sighed.

"So…" Natsu said, "Are you gonna tell me who you are?"

Again, the girl gulped nervously. But instead of panicking like last time, she spoke quietly.

"Ellen." She whispered.

"Ellen huh?" Natsu tilted his head to the side, "Why does that sound so familiar?" He frowned then snapped his fingers, "You're related to Iron Breath, aren't you!?"

The small girl nodded.

"Knew it!" Natsu shouted then he blinked, "Wait a moment. You're related to Gajeel. Then that means Happy got back to the guild. That means everybody is searching for me." His grin widened, "YES! Happy when I get back, I'm gonna get you the biggest fish you've ever seen!"

A fist pounded on the cell door.

"Quiet in there!" A gruff voice ordered.

"Ah shut it!" Natsu snapped back before smiling at Ellen, "Don't worry kid. With your dad out there, ain't no way he aren't getting home."

"Um…" Ellen mumbled, her uncertainty causing Natsu's grin to fade.

"What?"

"We… um…we… didn't go with my dad." She said in her hushed voice, "We um… we went alone."

Natsu's grin faded, "Whaddya mean alone?"

Ellen began to squirm on the ground, "M-me… S-storm… M-maki… N-nashi. We went searching f-for you w-with K-kento and some weird L-lady."

Natsu quirked an eyebrow, "Weird lady?"

Ellen nodded.

"What was she like?"

"She was scary." Ellen replied quickly.

"Scary?"

Ellen nodded again.

"Scary how?"

….

Both Erza and Maki paused as their guide came to an abrupt halt. In front of them, the small tunnel they had been walking through began to widen into an immense cavern filled with stalagmites. Torches burned brightly from the walls and a large chandelier dangled from the cavern ceiling.

"We should stop here." Their guide muttered.

"May I ask why?" Erza growled back, her hand resting near her lightsaber.

"Because-"

"Do you hear that?" Maki interrupted, glancing at Erza.

The Jedi Master hushed their guide and strained her ears. In the cavern, echoing off of the walls, was the sounds of drums booming in the flickering light. Loud chants suddenly erupted, causing their guide to nervously shuffle back. But once he bumped into Erza, he gulped and took a step forward.

"What is that?" Erza asked, her eyes narrowed at their guide.

"Th-the ritual." He replied, his deep voice trembling a little.

"Ritual?"

He nodded, "Lord Igneel is leading the congregation. Well… those that are allowed to hear the words for the Phantom Journals."

"And judging by your reaction," Maki replied, her voice hushed as they remained hidden in the cavern entry, "You aren't allowed."

The guard shook his head, "I'm just a guard. I don't leave that tunnel. If-" His eyes widened in fear, "If Lord Igneel found out I went in here he would… he would."

To Maki's surprise, Erza placed a comforting hand on the guard's shoulder.

"I won't let that happen." Erza replied sternly, "But we can't just stay here. I need to rescue my friend. And you are the only one who might know where he is in this maze." The guard gulped fearfully, "So we need to get through this cavern."

The guard shook his head, "I ain't going any further."

Erza's grip on his shoulder tightened and the man winced in pain.

"Care to repeat that?"

"I-I mean, we can keep going! Sure!" He squealed, "J-just give me a moment to look at the ritual and-"

"Uh no." Erza replied, "You stay with us at all times." A defeated sigh left the guide's lips. Erza removed her hand and nodded, "Lead the way."

The guard groaned then tightened his jaw and marched forward, making sure to stick close to the shadows that blanketed the back wall of the cavern. Erza followed with Maki right behind her. As they made their way in, the chanting grew louder and the drums boomed deeper. After several more feet, the guard paused once again.

"Yup, the ritual." He gulped pointing towards the far wall.

Erza followed his finger and her eyes widened at what she saw.

Massive bonfires roared near the far wall and in the center of the cavern. And hundreds of people danced around them, screaming and chanting like mad men. Then, against the far wall sat a rock pedestal. Standing on top was a thin man with dark red hair that was cut short and swept away from his eyes. Sinister yellow eyes gazed out at the frantic people before him, no emotion being shown in his gaze. His sallow skin seemed to be the only thing he had on his bones. And over his body was a black coat that swallowed up his small form.

"Who is that?" Erza asked.

"L-lord Igneel."

Erza glanced back at the small man standing on the stone pedestal.

 _So this is Igneel's Edolas counterpart?_ She thought before shaking her head, _Natsu would not want to see this._

The man's hands rose from his sides and his hands tightened into fists. The drums gave off one final boom that rattled the stone walls around them before going silent. All at once, the people that were dancing and chanting dropped to their knees, gazing up at the red haired man.

"We should keep moving." Maki and Erza's guide said, his voice tinged with fear.

Erza raised a hand to silence him.

"I happen to agree with the big guy." Maki muttered.

"Shut up!" Erza hissed before focusing on the Edolas version of her friend's dragon parent, "I want to know what's going on."

Edo-Igneel stared down at the congregation, his yellow eyes glinting in the torchlight. With arms still outstretched he spoke.

"Reapers!" He boomed, his voice thundering through the still cavern air, "Today, we gather once again in this place to hear the words from the Journals! To hear the tales of terror that are to come! And to prepare ourselves for such horrors that this world shall no doubt receive!"

The cavern remained silent, every member of the congregation hanging on the man's every word.

"But first," He bellowed, "A being has been brought to us! A being not of our world!"

Erza and Maki's chests tightened.

"And this being," Edo-Igneel continued, "Has power in him that we have long craved to acquire! This power, written in length in the Journals of the Phantom, a power rarely seen in our world, is the power that will give us the victory that we seek when the apocalypse arrives!"

 _Journals of the Phantom!_ Erza thought, her eyes widening with worry.

Cheers erupted from the crowd. But Edo-Igneel stared down at them with the same callous indifference as before. He raised a hand and the cavern instantly fell silent.

"Bring him forth." He growled.

Cheers thundered once again, and the drums boomed in the cavern. Both Maki and Erza held their breath as they waited to see who this world's Igneel was talking about.

Emerging from the crowd, chains around his wrists and ankles, and a cloth gag in his mouth, trudged Storm Fullbuster. Two guards roughly yanked him towards the pedestal as Edo-Igneel waited, a small smirk forming on his lips.

"Storm!" Maki gasped.

Erza clenched her teeth. Her fingers brushed against the lightsaber on her hip. But then she evaluated the situation. These people were fanatics. Crazy lunatics bent on fulfilling whatever sick cause this Lord Igneel had them set on. She had run into these types before. And they didn't care if they got hurt or were killed, so long as any threats to their great plan was squashed.

Her and Maki were outnumbered a hundred to one at least. And while Erza may be able to handle some of them. She had no idea how many were possibly armed. And if they were armed, well… she didn't like her chances.

"We have to do something!" Maki pleaded.

"We can't." Erza replied, "Not yet at least."

"But Erza-"

The red head raised a hand to silence her niece once again. Storm was now standing on the pedestal, his eyes boring furious holes into Lord Igneel. The red haired man gripped the gag in Storm's mouth and wrenched it free.

"Tell us your name, fortunate one." Lord Igneel said.

Storm didn't say anything. Instead he spat at Lord Igneel. The man frowned and wiped the spittle from his face.

"I was going to give you a chance to say a few words but…" The man shrugged, "You decided to be rude." He nodded at the guards, "Hold him down."

Cheers erupted for a third time as Storm struggled against his chains and the guard's grip. Lord Igneel turned away towards the stone wall. His hand ran up the smooth stone until it was above his head, then he pressed. A small panel opened up in the wall, revealing a long hose attached to a strange device. Edo Igneel gripped the device and reeled it out of the wall. All the while, Storm stared furiously at him.

Edo Igneel stood facing Storm and he pointed the device at him.

"BY THE WILL OF THE PROPHET! AND FOR THE GLORY OF THE PHANTOM!" He bellowed before pulling the devices trigger.

A massive whirring filled the air. Several glowing lights lit up along the dark hose up to the device linked to it. A purple ring formed around the end of the device, and a strange glow erupted from the end enveloping Storm's body. At first Storm only blinked in surprise, but then his eyes widened and his muscles tensed. Veins popped up from his skin as his entire body began to lock up. He instantly dropped to his knees, sweat beginning to form all over his body. He grit his teeth, doing his best to ignore the intense pain that was shooting through his body. But in the end, it proved to much.

His howl of pain rang out through the cavern, drowning out the cheering and causing Maki's heart to stop.

"St-Storm!" she exclaimed, preparing to rush forward and help her friend.

"Don't!" Erza snapped, grabbing her niece's arm and yanking her back, "We can't do anything right now!"

"BUT THEY ARE HURTING HIM!" Maki shouted back, Storm's screams growing louder around her.

Erza clenched her jaw and closed her eyes.

"Are you just going to do nothing!?"

"Of course not!" Erza snapped back, "But we need to be careful right now. Who knows how dangerous these people are." She looked back at Storm, the poor boy now lying flat on his stomach as the purple glow that was around him began to die away, "And we don't exactly know what is going on here. It's better to learn more about the situation than to charge in half cocked like you were going to do."

"But Storm-"

"We will rescue him." Erza said, "I promise. But for now, let's gather more information and figure out where any other prisoners may be. If this is what these lunatics are doing, then I don't want anyone to remain trapped in here."

Maki glanced at Erza puzzled.

"D-do you know what's going on?"

Erza grimaced, "Let's keep moving, I'll explain as we go." She tapped their guide, "Take us to where you keep prisoners."

"S-sure." He stammered before carefully moving towards the other end of the cavern.

All three carefully tiptoed by the roaring crowd. As they moved past, Edo-Igneel continued to spout rhetoric that Maki failed to understand. It was a speech that made Erza's blood go cold.

 _He is acting like the Phantom is some sort of god._ She thought her mind slowly wandering to when she had first wound up in Edolas. The memories she had of that man, it both caused her great sadness and anxiety to know that there were people in this world keeping his memory alive like this.

 _If they only knew what kind of person he was._ She thought.

"Alright, we are past that." Maki breathed before glaring at Erza, "Talk already! What the hell is going on!?"

Erza stopped walking, their guide freezing in place as well, "They're worshipping a man known as the Phantom."

"Not a man!" The guard commented to them, "He is our savior! His writings are going to save our world. The Prophet said so."

Erza glared at the man causing him to shudder and fear and quickly close his mouth.

"And that device, the one he used on Storm, it's a device that drains magic power."

Maki's eyes widened, "Wh-what? But… how!? How is that even possible!? I thought you said there was no magic in this world?"

"There isn't." Erza replied quietly, "At least, there shouldn't be any." She frowned, "There is something missing in this entire equation isn't there?"

"So…" Maki shuddered, "If that thing sucked all of the magic out of Storm," She gulped, "Is he-"

"No, he's not dead." Erza said, "But he will have serious magic deficiency disease."

Erza frowned. The more she tried to piece everything together, the more confusing this entire situation. Edolas' magic was taken. Dispelled with the destruction of the Anima machine over two decades ago. So how was it that these people were able to extract magic from Storm at all?

Then there was that bit about the Phantom. That was the part that perplexed Erza even more. The Phantom was dead. Killed during the massive battle that destroyed the Royal City all those years ago. And he was just a general. Not some religious figure. Although these people and this twisted version of Igneel didn't seem to know that.

"And the Phantom?" Maki finally asked.

Erza glanced over at her, "An old enemy." She replied simply before nodding to the guard, "Keep going."

The guard nodded and turned down a new, dimly lit tunnel. As the trio moved deeper into the bowels of this twisted place, Erza could not help but feel nervous. She found herself glancing at the walls, the torches that lined them, even the ceiling. There was something off about this place. Something evil. And she couldn't escape the sickening thought that they were being watched.

….

The mobile raced through the dry wasteland that surrounded the Edolas royal city. Dust swirled up from the tires and stuck to the sides of the purple machine. Inside, Maki Knightwalker had her foot stomped down on the accelerator. Pushing her mobile as fast as it could go as her, Kento, and Nashi followed the scent of the Reaper's Legions.

"Are we still on track?" Edo-Maki asked, glancing in the rear view mirror to look at the pair in the back seat. She then quickly rolled down one of the windows, allowing the fresh air to come whipping into the mobile.

"Hold on, let me ask." Kento grumbled before looking down at the pink haired girl passed out on his lap. He sighed then snapped his fingers in front of her face, "Hey, Nashi!"

"So…. sick…" She moaned, her cheeks puffing out again.

"Oh don't even think about puking on me!" Kento roared.

"Guys! Focus!" Edo-Maki snapped, "Are we still on track or not?"

A motion sick Nashi Dragneel weakly raised her head and took a good long sniff of the air. She then blinked and stared at Kento.

"You smell terrible." She grumbled.

"Gah! You- just- wrong scent Nashi!" Kento exclaimed.

Nashi quickly covered her mouth a let out a shuddering, sickly breath before nodded, "R-right…" She took another sniff, "We're good." Her head flopped back down onto Kento's lap.

"We're good." Kento nodded back to Edo-Maki, who breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good." She nodded, gripping the steering wheel tightly in her hands as the mobile rumbled over rocks and dirt, "Hopefully this secret hideout isn't much farther."

Kento nodded then looked down at Nashi who was now drooling on his Jedi robes.

"Yeah," He grimaced, "Hopefully not much further."

 _Ignore the migraine Kento. Ignore the migraine._ He frowned, _So this is what Master must've felt like when I first became her apprentice._ The mobile hit a large bump causing Nashi's head to whip up and smack Kento in the jaw.

"AGH!" Kento cried, "I just bit my tongue!"

Nashi just groaned and let out a long breath.

"Sorry about that bump." Edo-Maki commented, "Didn't see it there."

"P-please d-don't *ulp*," Nashi shivered, "Don't do that again."

"Oh by the Force!" Kento groaned, leaning his head back against the seat, "It was just a bump."

A warning ripped through the force, causing Kento's head to snap back upright. He sensed danger around them. He quickly focused his thoughts, searching through the force for the source of the peril that was near them. The force led him to the frame of the mobile. He glance to where the back right wheel would be on the machine.

"Maki we should st-"

The force screamed in warning. Instinctively, Kento poured his power into his force shield. Then quickly wrapped himself around Nashi, his brown cloak covering both of them. Just as he did that, an explosion ripped through the mobile.

….

Kento winced as his eyes slowly creaked open. His head was pounding, like hammers were banging against the inside of his skull. His ears rang and he could feel the warm, sticky sensation of blood dripping down from a gash on his right cheek. Dirt and soot covered his face as he winced and gasped for air. Every muscle felt like it was on fire. And they all felt heavy like lead. It took all of his strength just to push himself up to his hands and knees.

He shook his head, trying his best to shake the cobwebs out of his mind. But the haze refused to leave so easily. The world spun as he turned to his right to see Nashi lying down beside him, her right arm twisted in a stomach churning way and a deep cut lining her right eyebrow. Around them, he could see the flickering of orange fire and he could smell the sickening stench of metal melting.

 _The… the mobile._ He thought, _Did it… did it explode?_

 __He looked to his left and saw the charred remains of the mobile. It's chassis was a smoking hunk of molten metal. Rubber tires filled the air with black smoke as they burned. And the driver's side was entirely engulfed in a fiery inferno.

"M-Maki!" Kento's voice came out in a hoarse croak, "MAKI!"

He scrambled to his feet only to feel his legs give out from under him. The world spun again and for a moment he thought he would black out. But he refused to lose consciousness. He forced himself back up to his feet, ignoring the searing headache and dizziness. As quickly as he could, he stumbled towards the mobile, hoping to reach in time to save the Princess of Edolas.

Another warning came through the force, and another explosion erupted from the burning vehicle forcing Kento onto his back as a wave of heat slammed into him.

 _NO!_ He winced while on his back, feeling the sting more gashes in his body, _Maki! She can't be…_

But one look at the smoking wreckage confirmed it. There was no way she could've survived. He called upon the force, searching desperately for any sign of life. He could feel Nashi, her life force a weak pulse near him. But he felt nothing coming from the mobile.

"Maki…" He whispered as he struggled to sit up, tears starting to sting his cheeks.

This wasn't the first time he had witnessed death. Far from it, he has seen more death than most people his age. It came with being a Jedi. His missions constantly put him in peril. Dangerous bounty hunters, criminals, him and Master Erza had even run into a rogue squad of Imperial Stormtroopers once before. In most situations, they were forced to fight for their lives and the lives of others. And many times, they couldn't save or spare everyone. He had come to accept that.

But never in his entire life had he lost a friend. And even though he had only known the Princess of Edolas for a couple days, he considered her a friend. She was kind, helpful, and fun loving. Someone he wouldn't mind being around. And seemingly the opposite of the Maki he had known as a little boy on Earthland both in attitude and personality.

And in the blink of an eye, she was gone. Engulfed by a fiery explosion that he and Nashi had somehow managed to survive. As he bowed his head and swallowed back some tears he failed to notice the force give him another warning.

Riders mounted on massive winged beasts slowly came to a rest beside the burning wreckage.

 **And chapter! This one was a tough one to write. I've got the ending of this arc planned out and ready to go and I love it! But getting to that ending is proving to be one heck of a challenge. Although I think this chapter will probably be the toughest part of that challenge. I just have to get back in the swing of things for this story. It has been a little while since I focused on it.**

 **And… we get to see the Edolas version of Igneel. Or at least, my version of the Edolas version of Igneel. I figured that since Igneel was a super good character on Earthland his opposite had to be a bad guy in Edolas. He's also an incredibly massive dragon in Earthland. So I decided to make him a small, sickly human in Edolas in order to keep the opposite thing going. I hope I did it ok. We will see more of him, I promise!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	16. The Mad Scientist

**Hey everyone! I've got another chapter ready to go! Feels good to be getting back into the swing of things! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 16

The Mad Scientist

He quietly shut the door behind him then gripped the metal latch and slammed it shut, locking him in. As soon as the latch closed, the sound of generators powering to life filled the large room. Huge lamps flickered to life in the cavern ceiling. Machines began to buzz and whir throughout the room. Several monitors flickered to life on a metal desk that sat at the far end of the room. Running across those screens, through the occasional static, was security footage of the entire compound.

More generators buzzed to life and several bright lights illuminated three examination tables, one still stained red.

 _The servants still haven't cleaned it yet._ Igneel thought with disgust as he swept past the examination tables towards a small desk he had in the corner of the room, _I better remind them who their master is._

He cast a casual glance at the security monitors. Everything appeared normal. The many acolytes he and the Prophet had collected were going about their daily tasks. Mundane everyday chores that helped keep this entire operation running. He still questioned why he had the security cameras put in place at all?

 _Oh right,_ Igneel scowled as he sat down at his desk and recalled why he put the security measures in place, _That one escapee._ His scowl deepened, _The one that exposed us far too early._

Thankfully, he made sure there were contingencies plans in place for such a mistake. The security cameras, guards, and traps being some of them. Although, Igneel did think he may have overdone it a tad. Then again, the Prophet did not accept mistakes. He did not accept failure. So, it was better for him to play it safe and overcompensate for the sake of secrecy. And in the end, there had been no problems.

Finally, he let himself look away from the monitors and focus on the many documents littering his desk.

His desk was covered in folders. Each folder filled with documents detailing the many experiments he had carried out in this lab of his. Each one meticulously detailed, organized, and stored alphabetically and numerically. The little mess he currently had on his desk now, was a result of him actually combing through some rather old files. His last experiment had unveiled some… interesting results. Results that needed further research from records that would have normally been kept under the highest security in the Royal Palace.

 _Thank the gods for the foolishness of our mighty King._ He thought with a grin as he slumped down in his chair and flicked a folder open.

"Conducting your research again?" A voice called to him, causing the leader of the Reapers to jump to his feet.

In the darkness, under a lamp whose bulb had long ago burned out, sat a slim, shadowed figure. The features were unrecognizable, hidden beneath a black cowl and dark cloak. The only thing visible were his vibrant red eyes. If anyone else had run into this enigmatic figure, they most likely would've sounded the alarm. After all, an intruder could not be allowed to roam freely through the Reaper compound.

But Igneel didn't raise the alarm. He only glanced at the figure and smirked.

"It's about time you came back."

The shadowed figure leaned back in his seat, "I was preoccupied with other matters."

Igneel cocked an eyebrow, "The Royal City?"

His guest nodded, "Laying the foundations for what is to come."

Igneel nodded, his hand letting the folder's cover slip from his fingers, "And is that foundation ready?"

His guest nodded once again.

"Then you have timed your return splendidly." Igneel grinned, "We are nearing full operational capacity."

Those red eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Nearing?"

Igneel gulped, "Uh… well… I've been working nonstop to-"

"How much?"

"P-pardon?"

"How much more is needed?"

Igneel blinked before twirling back to his desk, throwing multiple drawers open as he scanned through his files. His fingers finally stopped on a black file that he quickly withdrew and threw open.

"Hm… according to my last estimates," He sighed internally. His guest was not going to like this next bit, "We still need ten percent more energy."

Those red eyes didn't move. His guest said nothing. He just stared at him, boring holes into him. Wordlessly accusing him of failing in his duties.

"Then it appears my timing is horrendous." His guest finally spoke, voice shaking with fury, "Because if we cannot act within the next few days then we may lose the element of surprise. And ten percent…" The figure clenched his fists, "Ten percent means we are burying at least a hundred more bodies."

"Oh what are a hundred more." Igneel shrugged, "I'll send out a few raids tonight and-"

"I said at least."

"Y-yes well," Igneel stammered, "Damn it! You make a fair point. Everybody is different, cursed genetic variation. It makes estimates rather difficult."

"So we will need more subjects?"

Igneel gulped. How was it that his guest could make him feel so welcome yet so terrified at the same time? "P-perhaps."

The eyes narrowed again.

"W-well it's not like we have much of a choice!" Igneel argued back, "The power we are seeking, it simply does not exist in massive quantities on our world! Let alone inside of a single human being."

The figure's hands folded and Igneel got his first glance of what his guest may actually look like. The hands, they weren't covered by anything. Every other time he had met with him he was covered head to toe. Nothing but those eyes showing.

 _Sloppy today are we?_ He grinned to himself, quickly taking note of his guests hands, _Rather dainty hands. Carefully manicured. Perhaps professionally. No wrinkles or scars… interesting._

"What if I told you there was someone with that kind of power."

Igneel froze, completely disregarding his observations regarding his guest, "What? But that's… no, no, no. Not possible. The human body is not capable of containing such energy."

"I met him."

His eyes widened as he stared at his guest, "Wh-what?"

"Our sentries should be escorting him to one of our cells. And no… I'm not talking about the fire breather. Although, in the end, that little mishap of mine has proven to be quite the bait for unknowing prey."

Igneel could hardly believe it. Someone with enough power to finish his project. To get the Reapers fully operational. His giddiness was only overshadowed by his doubt.

"I still cannot possibly believe it."

This time his guest laughed. A high pitched chuckle that gave Igneel another clue as to who he was talking to.

"You will believe soon." The figure rose and started towards the door, remaining close to the shadows along the walls, "Trust me." He opened the door, "If I am needed, you will find me in my chambers."

The door shut behind him. Leaving Igneel alone once again with his research.

 _I will believe soon eh?_ He thought. But it wasn't a far stretch. His guest had made him believe many things. At one time, he was simply a scientist working with the royal guard during the aftermath of the Battle for the Royal City and beyond. Leading teams as they discovered new ways to power the entirety of Edolas. Not through magical lacrimas or liquids. But through the science that he had discovered.

But that was so long ago. A far distant past that he willingly left behind. After all, the Royal Family only allowed him to go so far in his experiments.

Then he met the Prophet. And the Prophet told him of what was coming. What the mighty Phantom feared was coming. It was enough for him to throw his old life away. Enough for him to disregard what family he may have had.

The Prophet came to him. And gave him something he craved for when working for the Royal Family.

No restrictions.

His grin widened as he looked over at his three examination tables. He will be using one of them very soon.

A crackle filled the now silent lab. Igneel blinked and glanced over at a small speaker sitting on his desk.

"L-lord Igneel." A voice trembled.

The scientist rolled his eyes. Sometimes he relished the fear he instilled in others. And other times he loathed that fear. One could really grow bored of the constant bowing and respects given to him. He desired a servant with some backbone. Or maybe an associate like the Prophet. Someone who managed to make him feel powerful yet at the same time anxious. It was rather thrilling to compete with another powerful individual on an intellectual level from time to time.

"What is it?" He finally replied.

"Th-there is something on the cameras."

Igneel arched an eyebrow and glanced over at his monitors.

There was nothing in the central cavern. Just the usual acolytes conducting private worships for the Phantom. The entry tunnel appeared empty. And all side tunnels were empty as well.

"I don't see-" Igneel's breath caught in his throat. How did he not see it before!? Perhaps he was starting to get lazy with the security again?

Lying down in the entry tunnel, was one of his guards. Wrists blackened and bruised and weapon tossed to the side. His companion nowhere to be seen. Immediately, Igneel focused on the other monitors. His yellow eyes roving the screens for anything out of the ordinary.

"Where are you?" He muttered, eyes narrowing.

In the corner of his eyes he saw it on the furthest screen to his right. Three figures quickly dashing down one of the many tunnels that made up the Reaper compound. Igneel's hand lashed out and hit a button on the side of the screen. The image froze, allowing him to get a closer look.

"There is my missing guard." He muttered. And beside him were two others.

 _A young girl. Teenager most likely. Seems rather nervous._ He thought, his mind quickly committing the girl's features to memory. Then his eyes settled on the last figure. His blood briefly ran cold. _Qu-Queen Erza! Wait… no._ He let out a sigh of relief. It was not the Queen of Edolas. But someone else. A woman who bore a striking resemblance to her.

The scientists mind was already racing as he threw a drawer open and withdrew a tattered, leather journal. He flicked through the yellowing pages, scanning every sentence he saw. Then he stopped on one of the final pages.

"Today grows ever more interesting," he read, "Not only was I recalled to the Royal City from my campaign against the Alvarez Republic but I was also informed of a small rebel incursion occuring in Louen town. Myself and my wife decided to personally intervene.

Upon arriving in that dusty town, we were greeted by a very strange sight. Lucy Ashley, one of the most wanted criminals in the Kingdom, was leading the rebel attack. And beside her was what appeared to be a doppelganger. A doppelganger who could wield magic without the use of any tool or weapon. But that is not possible? At least I thought that at the time.

Now that I think upon it more, it could have been a side effect of the Anima. While mining the Earthland dimension's magic, it may have accidentally brought in residents of that world without crystallizing them into Lacrimas. I've never heard of something like this happening before. But it may not be out of the realm of possibility.

If this is the case, then Earthland has parallel versions of the people of Edolas. And that criminal, Lucy Ashley, managed to run into hers as well as a group of other possible Earthlanders..."

Igneel stopped reading. "Parallel versions!" He exclaimed looking back at the frozen image.

Excitement built up in him. He could hardly believe his luck. A source of massive energy has come to him! A loud chuckled left his lips.

"It appears… that Earthland Erza has decided to pay us a little visit." He tapped the intercom, "Lock down the halls leading to the prison. I want our three intruders to be apprehended immediately."

" _Yes, Lord Igneel!"_

"Oh… and do be careful." Igneel cautioned, his grin growing wider as he stared at the image, "Two of them may put up a bit of a fight."

….

Kento was tempted to fight them. Really, really tempted. It would not have been difficult for him to do. He just had to draw his lightsaber and go to work. Hack and slash his way through the dozen or so enemies that had suddenly made their appearance as he regained his wits from the explosion. Instead he was now being dragged through a series of dark tunnels towards what he assumed was either an audience with the leader of his assailants, or a dark prison cell.

 _I could have fought them off!_ He thought again. But he just shook his head. It wasn't that he was unconfident in his abilities. Far from that, he was plenty confident in his ability to take down the dozen Reapers and their Legions. What he wasn't confident about, was being able to fight them off while also protecting a wounded Nashi. He couldn't divide his attention so much in a fight. And as much as the girl irritated him, she was still a… 'friend'.

So he had to make a difficult choice. He had choose being patient over the simple solution.

Another day in the life of being a Jedi Padawan.

Only this time, he didn't have a snarky comments to say. He couldn't bring himself to say any. This entire situation just felt wrong.

 _How did I not sense it sooner?_ He thought constantly, his mind returning to the moments leading up to the mobile exploding.

He was better than that. He knew he was better than that. It was one of the many things his Master would brag about. Beyond his excellent swordsmanship (courtesy of his Master's training) and solid grasp of the force, he had a talent for sensing out danger. It was what made him such a great fighter in the first place. It was why Ben Solo, one of the prized students at the Academy, couldn't lay a finger on him when they sparred. Or why he was able to out maneuver Master Kota whenever he pulled a prank on the cranky old Jedi.

Only a few times in his entire life had ever been caught totally unawares. The majority of those times involved his Master catching him when he and Ben were doing something very much against the rules (He was still convinced she had a sixth sense that allowed her to sense him causing trouble). There was that one time with the changeling, but he chalked that one up to his powers being neutralized by alcohol. Beyond those rare occasions, danger was something he could easily sense it all coming.

At least… he thought it was easy. Then the explosion. And the.. He gulped as his captors turned and opened a cell door.

 _The explosion. And Maki…_

"Welcome home you two." One of his captors snarled as he shoved Kento into the cell. The other then roughly threw Nashi in.

Kento twirled around and quickly caught Nashi with his hands, making sure that the still unconscious girl didn't injure herself any further. Kento grimaced as he looked at her twisted arm.

 _I should've sensed it coming._

"Hey! New cellmates!" An oddly cheerful voice exclaimed, "Finally someone to talk to."

Kento ignored whoever was talking. Obviously someone that happy about being in a cell was not worth the energy to speak to. He needed to focus on getting out of her. He glanced down at Nashi.

 _Getting both of us out of here._ He thought as he gently set her down the cell floor.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Don't just ignore me dammit! I've already got one cellmate who doesn't like to talk!"

Kento closed his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Oh…. the sighing type eh. I think I've found another person like you Ellen!"

His eyes snapped open.

"Ellen?" He muttered.

"K-Kento?" She whispered back.

Kento twirled around to see the small dragon slayer sitting in the corner of the cell, her knees drawn to her chest. Eyes staring at him from over her knees.

Kento blinked as he looked at Ellen, "Y-you… you can talk?"

Ellen's face suddenly turned red and she quickly buried her face in her knees.

"Oh great! Now look what you did!" The first voice snapped, "Now she won't talk for the next… I don't know? Two, maybe three hours? I think that was the last time she talked?"

Kento scowled and turned to his right, finally ready to snap at the cause of his latest headache. But when he saw who it was, he held his tongue.

Chained to the wall, arms above his head, was a man with bright pink hair and tan skin. A torn black waistcoat covered his upper body but was left open, revealing the muscles and scars on his torso. Baggy white pants billowed around his legs while his feet were simply covered by sandals. It didn't take much more for Kento to realize who he was talking to.

But the elongated canines certainly helped solidify the identity of his latest headache.

"M-Mr. Dragneel!?" Kento stammered.

"Mr. Dragneel?" Natsu frowned, "Only the kids back home call me that." His dark eyes narrowed at Kento, "And I don't really recognize you."

 _Of course he wouldn't._ Kento thought. _Almost no one did when I came back to Earthland._

"Well… I guess I should reintroduce myself." Kento smiled, "Kento Marek."

Natsu's eyes bugged out of his skull and his jaw fell to the floor, "What!?"

"What's wrong?" Kento asked.

"But… huh!? Last time I saw you, you were like four! Shouldn't you be six or seven!?" Natsu cried, "You look almost grown up! Do kids really age that fast!? If so, how old does Nashi look!?"

"It's been over thirteen years you idiot!" Kento bellowed, finally letting some of his frustration out. In the corner, Ellen whimpered.

"Thirteen years?" Natsu replied, "No way! It can't have been! When I left Magnolia Lucy was-" Natsu's face blanched, "Just turning twenty three." He began to sweat uncontrollably, "And I had my thirty seventh birthday with Happy just a few weeks ago." His teeth began to chatter, "DAMN IT ALL I PULLED A GILDARTS, DIDN'T I!?"

"Who the hell is Gildarts?" Kento muttered to himself as Natsu began panic over how Lucy would react to seeing him again.

"Maybe I should just stay out in the wild! Y-yeah, avoid punishment that way and-"

"Mr. Dragneel." Kento sighed.

"I mean… maybe she isn't that mad."

"Mr Dragneel!" Kento snapped.

"Oh who am I kidding," Natsu laughed nervously, "Lucy is probably so pissed that it'll make Aquarius look sweet."

"HEY!" Kento roared, "MR. DRAGNEEL!"

"Would you stop yelling I am trying to figure out how screwed I am!" Natsu snapped back.

"And I am trying to figure out just how the hell I am going to get you, Ellen, and Nashi out of this!" Natsu's eyes suddenly widened to the size of saucers, "So would you stop panicking and give me some kriffing ideas for a…change." Kento suddenly felt an overwhelming amount of dread. He gulped and looked to see Natsu's eyes boring into him.

"What did you say about Nashi?"

"Um…"

"Did you bring my Nashi here?"

"I-Uh-I-" Kento gulped then pointed at Nashi, "It was her idea."

Natsu went from feeling complete and total dread to feeling complete and total rage. He stared viciously at the teen in trembling teen in front of him.

"Her idea?" Natsu growled followed Kento's finger to where Nashi lay unconscious.

Kento gulped then nodded.

"YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT MY BABY GIRL WOULD DO SOMETHING SO STUPID!"

"WELL SHE IS YOUR DAUGHTER!" Kento roared back.

"So what exactly are you saying then, huh, Kento!?" Natsu growled, "That my daughter is an idiot?"

"If you are admitting that you are an idiot then yes, she an idiot too!" Kento replied, crossing his arms.

"I WILL BURN YOU TO A CRISP!" Natsu roared.

"With what magic?" Kento replied.

"I-" Natsu paused and grit his teeth. He glared at Kento, "When we get back to Earthland I'll burn you to a crisp."

Kento nodded, "Uhuh. And until then, don't attack me. I'm trying my best to help."

He took a deep breath then closed his eyes. Right now, he needed the Force. It was the only way he'd be able to get out of this cell. He was the only one with any sort of powers right now. So he was their best bet when it came to escaping this cell and maybe finding some help.

He focused on the cuffs on his hands. Then he focused further, will the force around the mechanism that locked them in place. With a little burst of power he felt the lock open and the cuffs clattered to the floor.

"That's better." He muttered as he rubbed his wrists.

Natsu blinked, "How'd you do that?"

Kento glanced over at the dragon slayer, "Magic." He replied sarcastically as he took off his brown cloak.

"I ain't that stupid!" Natsu cried.

Kento just ignored him and instead knelt down beside Nashi. He then gripped one of the long sleeves of his cloak and tore it free.

"This will hurt a little Nashi." He whispered to her as he gently took her broken arm, "But it'll make it better in the long run."

"What are you doing to her arm?" Natsu asked.

Kento twisted Nashi's arm, a sickening crack and the sound of bones sliding together filled the cell causing Ellen to nearly vomit in the corner.

"What did you do to her arm!?" Natsu bellowed.

"I set it back in place."

"How did it get out of place!?"

"Maybe if you were around, you'd know how!" Kento snapped back, causing the fire dragon slayer to fall silent. Meanwhile, Kento used his torn sleeve to form a makeshift sling for her arm. "She'll need an actual cast," He continued, "But we'll worry about that when we get home."

He then fell back on his butt. Deciding to finally take a moment and rest. He needed to meditate. Clear his mind. He hated doing it but he had to admit, it did work. Even if the practice was boring. Maybe through the meditation he'd figure out a solution to this mess.

Kento quietly crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees. He took a few calming breaths before closing his eyes. This was actually starting to feel relaxing for a change. Maybe Jedi meditated because they used it as a chance to finally breath. It'd make sense in Kento's mind. The amount of crap that had occurred in the past few days made him feel exhausted. And now, as he attempted to rest in the Force he could feel his body starting to settle down. His once aching muscles began to relax. His clenched jaw began to unwind. And finally! His headache was gone!

Just as he started to delve deeper into the force he cast one last peak at Nashi.

 _Huh…_ He thought, closing his eyes again, _She didn't scream out in pain._

"OH MY GOD MY ARM!"

Kento winced and let out a long sigh, "There it is."

His headache was back.

 **And chapter! Alright, we got a little more info on our antagonists. The more I thought about Edolas Igneel the more I figured he would be very much the opposite of the Igneel we all know. The Igneel we all know was a kind, gentle dragon (who when pissed was an absolute bad ass capable of battling Acnologia). And judging by how Natsu was raised, Igneel may not have been the brightest dragon in the room. Contrast that to our Edolas Igneel. Basically a mad scientist who has a callous attitude towards others lives but can't appears to be weak when confronted with someone far stronger than he is.**

 **And… we got our first glimpse at the mysterious Prophet that the Reapers follow. We'll see more of the Prophet too! I'm so excited to write this character you have no idea. Been planning it out since… forever!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you guys think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	17. Captured

**Hello everyone! Back with another chapter! Before we begin I do wanna say why I'm taking so long with the updates. I'm taking my time with the story, planning it out and really trying to deliver an amazing story for you guys. Also, I do plan on this story going into Episodes 7, 8, and 9 (Although after seeing Episode 8, highly recommend by the way, I can safely say that any predictions I had were very wrong and this story is definitely in an AU realm). Because I plan on this story going into the new trilogy I'm taking my time so that I can (hopefully) see the entire trilogy before finishing this story up. The more I plan this one out, the more I realize that this is going to be a behemoth of a story. Like, bigger than the Dark Fairy big. So I will be at this for a while. I figured I'd fill you all in on that. Anyways, enough talking, let's start a new chapter!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 17

Captured

Erza felt the muscles in the back of her neck tighten. As she and Maki delved deeper into the Reaper's compound, her sense of unease continued to grow. Her eyes flicked to and fro, scanning every inch of the walls around her. Attempting to unmask what made her feel so restless. It couldn't be their guide, the unfortunate Reaper guard that she 'persuaded' into assisting her and Maki. She could sense the fear he had when around her. The guard wasn't foolish enough to try and lash out at her. Even if he tried, Erza would stop him. She wasn't entirely powerless in this world. Her hand brushed against her lightsaber.

"How much further?" Maki whispered.

Their guide cast a wary glance back at the young teen, "The prison cells are all the way at the bottom of the base." He explained, his pace remaining steady as he walked, "Less chance of escape that way."

Erza's unease grew again. She attempted to dive into the Force. But she found it to be eerily quiet. It felt muffled and restrained. A huff left her lungs. She was never very good at the more spiritual aspects of the Force.

"And what are our chances of escaping?" Maki asked.

"Not very high honestly."

" _Indeed."_ A voice crackled over their heads.

Instantly, Erza's lightsaber was in her hands. The azure blade humming in the air around her, casting a blue glow over herself and Maki.

 _So we were being watched!_ Erza scowled.

" _How interesting!"_ The voice crackled again, " _A laser sword. Rather similar to another famous weapon in Edolas history."_ The static filled voice laughed aloud, " _And I assume your powers are as remarkable as that relic you hold."_

Maki gulped, "Erza?" She whispered, "Who-"

"That is Lord Igneel's voice." The guard gulped fearfully.

" _So… you are making your way to the prison cells hm?"_ Igneel continued, his voice ringing around them. Echoing off of the stones walls. It felt endless, limitless, like he was all around them, " _Attempting a simple rescue of your precious friends. Admirable indeed. But ultimately a failure."_

Erza grit her teeth, "We haven't failed yet!" She spat back.

Again the voice crackled, " _But of course you have."_

Maki gulped. She felt afraid. Anxiety filled her. Her eyes searching for a way out of this tunnel deep underground. She let her dragonslayer senses take over for her. Her ears making out the whistling of air coming in through hidden vents. The taste of dirt in the air around her. And finally, a noxious smell billowing up from her feet.

"I smell-"

"GAS!" Erza exclaimed, her eyes widening. On instinct, she attempted to access her requip space. But then she felt suddenly empty. The lack of magic in this world slapping her across the face, showing her a worrying outcome.

" _Yes… Gas. A little concoction I created."_

"Maki, hold your breath!" Erza commanded.

The girl obeyed immediately, sucking in a large gulp of air and staring fearfully at Erza. The Jedi Master followed suit. Meanwhile, their guide had already inhaled the fumes. His eyes bulged from his skull before he coughed and slumped to the ground.

Erza felt waves of fear rush out of Maki as the guard lay still on the ground. The girl seemed paralyzed.

 _We cannot stay here!_ Erza thought. She deactivated her lightsaber and grabbed Maki by the arm. The pair sprinted down the tunnel, more noxious green clouds pouring out from the floor beneath them.

" _You will not escape. The entire compound has this gas beneath it. A precaution of mine."_

 _I doubt it._ Erza thought, _Otherwise, you would be holding your breath too._

" _But fret not."_ Igneel continued, " _It's not lethal. Well… not at this dosage at least. Besides, I don't want you dead, Earthland Erza."_

Erza's eyes widened in surprise. The man had figured out who she was and where she was from. But how? Did he see her, Maki, and the guard sneak by the ritual. Or was he viewing them another way?

" _Your power will prove far too useful for me to outright kill you."_

Maki tapped Erza's arm. The Jedi glanced at her niece and saw the girl's face turning a bright red. She couldn't hold her breath much longer. A pit formed in Erza's stomach. Maki could not use the Force. Not now. In fact, she hadn't used it at all since she arrived on Edolas. The only time she had supposedly accessed her powers was during the guild's S-class trials. And that was by accident. She didn't know how to access her powers, let along utilize them to enhance her lungs.

Another second later, and Maki could no longer hold out. She gasped loudly, her body inhaling plumes of the green gas around them.

"E-Erza!" Her voice was hoarse as the gas rushed into her.

"Maki!" Erza shouted, breaking her concentration and forcing her hand over the girl's mouth and nose. She could feel the fumes rushing into her own lungs now. As Maki's eyes slowly closed, Erza could feel her own vision beginning to slip away. Her muscles felt weak. All she wanted to do now was lie down and sleep.

Maki slumped to the floor, Erza's arms around her as she fell.

….

Maki's eyes shot open. And there was darkness around her. The only thing she could see, was her hands pressing against an invisible ground beneath her prone body. The sound of her breath coming in quick rasps filling her ears.

 _What is this place?_ She thought.

There seemed to be nothing here. Literally nothing. No floor, no ceiling. No smells besides the stench of her sweaty clothes. No sounds except for her own breathing. Nothing to see, nothing to feel. She was nowhere.

"Maki."

The voice made Maki leap to her feet. She was on her toes now. If she was nowhere then how could there be someone here?

 _Where am I?_ She thought.

Her eyes fell to her feet. And staring back at her, was her reflection. She arched an eyebrow, puzzled at what was occurring. If there was a mirror in the floor, then shouldn't she have felt the glass? But when she was lying down she felt nothing. Not the smooth texture of glass nor the cold feeling of a mirror. There was nothing there. But now, there was something. There was herself, in a mirror, staring back at her. Breathing the same breath. Seeing the same thing.

Curious, she leaned closer, her reflection following suit until they were mere inches apart. She could see her breath, misting in front of her. Fogging the mirror and concealing the reflection. Maki frowned and shook her head.

 _I must be dreaming._

"That is one way to put it."

She jumped again. There it was. That voice. A disembodied, formless sound. Both familiar and alien in her mind. Rasping and grating, yet smooth and seductive. But where was it coming from? Maki gulped and looked back down at her feet.

The reflection was still covered by the fog left by her breath. And as she stared down at it, a feeling of dread filled her. Was she really alone in this place that was nowhere? She cautiously dropped to her knees, hands bordering the foggy mirror surrounded by shadows. Her fingers pressing against the invisible glass floor.

Her breathing grew louder in her ears. It almost sounded like it wasn't her own. It was too loud to be coming from her lungs alone. It was as if a second person was there with her. Standing beside her. Making her hair stand on end. A presence that was breathing down her neck.

With a trembling hand, Maki swiped the glass.

Yellow eyes stared back at her.

….

Kento's face mirrored stone as he marched through the halls of the Reaper compound. Beside him, locking his arms tightly to his sides, were four guards carrying strange spears with what appeared to be a barrel protruding from the spike at the top.

 _Some sort of rifle spear combination._ Kento thought as he observed the peculiar weapon.

He had been sitting and meditating back in the cell her shared with Nashi, Ellen, and Natsu. Attempting to formulate an escape plan in his mind. Then the cell doors had opened, four guards stormed in, slapped new chains on his wrists, and dragged him out of the cell. While that happened, Ellen had huddled herself into the corner and Nashi…

Kento smirked as he glanced over at a massive red welt on one of the guard's chins. Despite her wounds, the Little Salamander still wanted to put up a fight.

He was jerked to his right. Both he and his captors now faced a sealed metal door. One of the guards gently tapped the door. A muffled noise came from the other side and the guards took that as their cue to enter.

They pushed the door open and jerked Kento inside. His eyes flicked around the room he was now in.

It appeared to be some sort of laboratory. Machines with many clear tubes running along their metal frames lined the stone walls. Bright lights lit up the room above them. And at the very end of the room, rested three rectangular tables. One with faded red stains on it.

Kento gulped when he saw that. This was not somewhere he wanted to be. His anxiety only grew when he saw a second set of guards dragging someone away from one of the tables. It was a young teen with dark blue hair and pale skin. His eyes were closed and his head rolled from shoulder to shoulder as his feet slid limply along the cold floor. Kento instantly recognized him.

"S-Storm!?" Kento stammered before being jabbed forward by one of the guards.

He was in pain. Kento could feel the sensation coming from the Water Make mage. But there was not only pain, but emptiness coming from his comrade. A piece of him felt like it was missing entirely. But before Kento could dig deeper into the force and find the source of this emptiness in Storm, a powerful voice chuckled.

"Welcome!" The voice chortled, "Welcome, to my laboratory."

Kento's gaze went back to the examination tables. Standing beside the one on the left was a short, thin man with sickly skin, vibrant yellow eyes, and short red hair. His body was hidden behind a long white lab coat that seemed to swallow him whole. Bony arms protruded from the billowing sleeves as he motioned towards one of the tables.

"Please, make yourself comfortable."

Kento's jaw tightened, "What did you do to Storm?"

The man grinned, "Storm? So that was the boy's name hm? Well… you are about to find out."

The guards shoved Kento towards the man. As he stumbled forward, the red haired man produced a strange, squared device with an antenna on top. He pointed it at Kento and a loud buzzing filled the room.

"You were captured with that other Earthlander, weren't you?" The man questioned, his yellow eyes focusing on a small screen that lit up on the device, "Attempting to rescue the fire breather. I wonder… if you are from Earthland, then how much power do… you…" His eyes widened as he stared at the screen, "Possess."

The loud buzzing ended and the screen flashed several times. The man glanced up at Kento, then back down at the machine, an expression of disbelief on his face.

"Well…" He began to laugh, "I… I suppose I owe my Prophet an apology!" He was now laughing loudly, thoroughly amused by what he saw on the device's screen, "It seems he was correct. There is someone with enough power to complete our plans! Oh, truly, I do believe now!"

Kento arched an eyebrow as the man continued to cackle like a mad man. What was up with this guy? And what plan was he referring to? And power? Kento only knew of two powers that he possessed. His father's gifts with the force and his mother's- his eyes widened. It all made sense now. The condition Storm was in as they dragged his limp form out of this laboratory. The device reading his body, scanning for some sort of power. There was only one thing this mad scientist could be doing.

"You're draining magic power!" He exclaimed.

The scientist stopped laughing and grinned and Kento, "Magic power?" He raised his arms and shrugged, "Maybe? Magic power is always a plus. However, how can I drain magic power in a world where there is none."

Kento blinked, "What?"

The man waved his hand at the guards, "Strap him down. Obviously he won't listen to me about getting comfortable."

The guards roughly grabbed Kento. Now he felt a warning in the Force. And so he struggled against the guards for the first time since he was taken from the prison cell. He originally thought struggling would be a bad idea. After all, he had no information on what this place was or who these people were. He had a safe guess, the Reapers, but he wasn't one hundred percent certain. He thought these guards might be taking him to their leader or boss, or whoever ran this massive place. But now, he found himself in the clutches of a Mad Scientist who was giddy to drain him of something. Whether that was magic power or something else didn't matter to Kento anymore. He just wanted to break free now.

One of the guard's grip slipped. Kento jerked his elbow up and slammed it into that guard's jaw, sending the man sprawling to the floor. The other guard let go and gripped his weapon with both hands, pointing it at the Jedi Padawan. Kento reacted quickly, ducking beneath the weapon before it fired a blast of blue energy. He thrust himself forward, bashing his head into the stomach of the other guard and knocking the wind out of him. As he did this, he focused the force onto the restraints around his wrists, attempting to unlock them like he did back at his cell.

A blast hit him, and suddenly Kento felt his entire body go numb. He crumpled to the floor, every muscle going slack.

"Now, now," The scientist sneered, his footsteps moving around Kento, "I won't have any of that nonsense."

Kento saw the man toss some sort of blaster off to the side.

 _He stunned me!_ Kento realized.

"The last thing I want is a messy laboratory." The scientist grumbled as he hooked Kento's arms and hauled him towards on of the tables. He then slammed the Padawan down onto the metal board. Kento's vision blurred as his head collided onto the table with a loud crack.

He saw the scientist fiddling with something near his wrists and ankles.

 _Restraints._ Kento thought. _Like those will hold me! Just wait until I get feeling back to my muscles! Then you will be sorry!_

 __"There." The scientist said with a grin, "All set." He glided away, moving swiftly over to console with multiple glowing buttons and levers on it. His gloved hands gripped several levers and he slowly moved them down. Kento stared up at the ceiling and saw a large machine with a tube at the end of it descending down towards him.

"This is a bit of an upgraded version of the one I used on your friend." He heard the scientist say, "The old model, made by my mentor, Byro, was good but quite inefficient. This machine however is my magnum opus!" The tube opened and Kento saw a purple glow emanation from the end of it. It slowly enveloped his body, encasing him a cocoon of purple light.

"But…" The scientist continued, "My mentor wished to only harvest magic power."

Kento suddenly felt his entire body tense up. Every muscle, joint, tendon, and ligament locked up, tightening into painful knots. He grit his teeth together, fighting back a pained scream.

"And while harvesting magic power worked at the time," The scientist stated, "Nowadays, there is no more magic in Edolas. It was banished at the end of the great battle that took place in the Royal City between you Earthlanders and the King of Edolas, Faust. And that left us with few options for power."

Kento's breaths became painful. His lungs suddenly felt like they were on fire. Expanding and contracting against his will.

"But we survived. We used the wonders of science to rebuild our Kingdom. And everything seemed to be finally peaceful."

The scientist pulled another lever. The glow around Kento's body became brighter. His heart began to speed up, then slow down violently. His vision grew hazy, yet he wasn't about to lose consciousness.

"But that peace." The scientist growled, "That sense of security was a lie!" One more lever and now Kento felt something that made his eyes widen in fear. He felt the Force, slipping from his grasp. Abandoning him.

"The Prophet revealed to me the truth. Revealed to me the secrets that the mighty Phantom possessed. Secrets that would mean the end of our people! It would be impossible to fight that end with science! Impossible I say!" The scientist was now shouting, his voice dripping with venom as he spoke, "But I could not just let my world die! No! I would not! And neither would the Prophet! So we needed to find a solution! A power that we could wield and weaponize! And within those writings, the Phantom's journals, we found our solution! And that solution had a name! And that name possessed a power never before seen in this world, but somehow it existed here!"

Kento mouth opened and he uttered a ear splitting howl. He felt it all leaving him. The Force was being sucked from his very body, blocked from reaching him again. His magic power inherited from his mother was being drained. And his body, once healthy and strong, suddenly felt weak and frail. After several more agonizing moments of pain, the purple glow faded away.

Kento's face remained frozen, jaw hanging open as he uttered pained groans and whimpers. He heard the scientist rush down to his side, his gloved hands turning the Jedi Padawan's face towards his.

"Do you want to know whose name it was?"

Kento's chest heaved up and down. Sweat dripped from every pore of his body. And with every waking moment, he attempted to call the force to him. Trying to break free of his restraints and fight back against the lunatic at his side. But it did not answer his call. The force was silent.

"The name," The scientist drew closer to his ear, "Was Joshua Scarlet."

 **And chapter! So… Joshua Scarlet's legacy lives on even in Edolas. Kento is in a pretty bad situation. Is he really losing the force, or has Igneel figured out how to simply harvest that power and nothing more? We'll find out soon. And now, Erza and Maki have now been captured. Natsu, Nashi, and Ellen are all in a jail cell with Storm heading in that direction as well. It's not looking too good for everyone.**

 **Now, before I officially end this chapter, I want to address something. Lately, if you all have noticed, the chapters have been a bit shorter than what I used to do. While this can be blamed on time (something I have very little of nowadays unfortunately), I also feel like as I attempt to become a better writer I am learning that longer chapters doesn't necessarily mean better chapters. I could spend an entire chapter describing Erza's Strawberry cake or I could use that chapter to keep the story clipping along. And I think I'm going to do the latter. Go where the story is going to go, focus on the important things in the story, if you get what I mean there. So, please don't expect 7-9 thousand word chapters anytime soon.**

 **I also just want to thank you all so much for sticking around and reading my stories. Every one of you has helped me become a better author and has helped me grow more confident as I write. I love doing this for you all and I hope I can continue for a long time. Now then, I've got to start work on the next chapter. See you all soon!**


	18. Storm's Peril

**Alright! I've got a new chapter ready to go! I also wanna say that I will be going on vacation to my Great Grandmother's house over Christmas break. And she doesn't have WiFi. So, it will be a couple weeks before I am able to post another chapter. I am bringing my notebook with me so I can continue planning and stuff. But yeah, it may be a bit before the next update. Anyways though, I've got a new chapter ready! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

Chapter 17

Storm's Peril

Erza screwed her eyes tight. Her entire body ached and every muscle felt drained. As he eyes stayed shut, she rolled over onto her right side, feeling warm sand slide beneath her. It was that strange feeling, the coarseness of sand instead of the cold hardness of stone that awoke her.

The sun was blinding as it sat high in the sky above her. It's rays sending heat blazing down onto the sand around her. A gauntlet covered had acted as a visor over her eyes as Erza sat up and scanned her surroundings.

It seemed like just a normal desert. Nothing around. No life, no shade, no water, just sand and the sky above.

But Erza knew this was anything but normal. The last thing she remembered was being gassed in the base of the people who took Natsu.

 _Wait! Gassed!_ Erza shot to her feet, "MAKI!" She shouted, hoping that maybe her niece was somewhere nearby. But as soon as she shouted, she cursed. _This is not a normal place, so why would she be with me here if she was with me in the compound?_

Nevertheless, concern filled her. Maki was defenseless. As much as Galen, Meldy, and Mira claimed she was capable of using the Force, Erza had yet to see any evidence of it. Most force sensitive children were able to use their abilities without really knowing it. The easiest method of testing was always rolling a ball away from the child and seeing if they could slow it down as they tried to catch it.

 _But that only works with infants._ Erza remembered, _Come to think of it. I don't think I've ever recruited someone as old as Maki._

And that fact threw the conventional methods of testing out the window. She knew that when she first met the girl. She could sense there was something there. Power untapped. But it seemed repressed. Blocked and unable to be accessed. And the more effort Erza put into sensing that power, the more concealed it became. It was a strange case that puzzled the Jedi Master. She had never encountered something like that before. Most force sensitive children had trouble controlling their abilities. Maki seemed to have the opposite problem. She had trouble bringing her latent powers out.

That was why Erza decided to follow Maki and Nashi on their insane endeavour to rescue Natsu. She thought that by observing the teen, she might see that power at work instead of putting her through the normal tests.

What she hadn't expected though, was a trip to Edolas, being separated from the teens that she had to keep safe, and getting gassed then captured by an enemy that appeared to be some sort of cult.

 _And now there is this._ Erza thought as she stood on a sand dune in a place she was not familiar with.

 _Where am I?_ She thought. Urgency was filling her as well as frustration. If she didn't figure out where she was then there was no way she'd be able to find Maki and rescue her. There would be no way of rescuing Natsu, or Kento. _Kento!_ Erza thought before closing her eyes and stretching out with the force. Attempting to signal to her Padawan where she was and hopefully to get of sense of where he might be.

She waded through the currents of the Force for what felt like hours. But she found nothing. There was no sign of Kento. His presence was gone. Missing. Erza opened her eyes and took a deep breath.

"This isn't right." She mumbled.

An idea appeared in her mind. What if this wasn't Edolas. She should've been able to sense her apprentice. They had been able to do so multiple times while on the same planet. It is what made them such an effective team. Despite Erza's more strict attitude towards being a Jedi and Kento's more relaxed attitude, the pair worked together perfectly. Each one able to sense what the other was thinking before flying into action. Able to sense where they were, no matter how empty or how crowded a space was. To not be able to sense Kento meant one of two things.

He was dead. That thought had crossed her mind more than once since she woke up. And she greatly fear that possibility. Or she was so far away from him that there was no way their usual connection to the force was going to work. Erza glanced down at her left hand. There was only one way to find out.

"Requip!" She snapped.

Instantly, a golden light filled her palm and a small sword appeared in her grip. She blinked and stared nearly awestruck at what she had done.

"So this isn't Edolas." Erza deduced, requiping the sword away, "Then where am I?"

In the distance, she heard the hum of a speeder cutting through the air behind her. Erza twirled around and her jaw dropped.

The hulking ruin of an Imperial Star Destroyer sat buried in the sand. Craters and gashes caused by a myriad of explosions marred it's metal shell, exposing the inner workings of the massive ship. But when Erza approached it, she noticed something strange.

The wreckage was old. Very old. The metal already beginning to corrode away due to being blasted by sandstorms. But, it also seemed familiar. It felt like she had seen this ship before. Been on it even, during the days when it dominated the stars along with the rest of the Imperial fleet. She searched for markings, a name, anything to indicate the ship's identity. But the sand had taken it long ago.

The speeder sounds drew closer. Erza glanced to her right and saw a red speeder zipping towards the wreckage, clouds of sand kicking up behind it's repulsors. It was unlike any Erza had ever seen. The entire front end of the speeder was the engine. Attached to it in the back was a small seat and controls. Wire nets hung along the sides of the bulbous frame. Each net filled with some sort of junk. Erza's eyes widened as she realized who was approaching.

It was a scavenger. And this scavenger had a passenger.

As they got closer, Erza could finally make out the details of the driver.

It was a girl. A young woman actually. She couldn't be much older than Kento. Her long brown hair was tied up into several buns behind her head while her eyes were covered by tinted goggles. Rough, tan colored robes covered every inch of her body. Shielding her from the sun and the sand. Nothing unusual about the scavenger, other than her youth.

Her companion however, was another matter. It appeared to be a human man, though it was difficult to tell any details. His body was hidden beneath black robes while his head was covered in the shadows of a deep hood. Both hands were covered by black gloves, and black boots completed the ominous look. But the appearance did not disturb Erza as much as his signature in the force did.

It was dark. Very dark. In her few interactions with that side of the force, Erza always found it to be cold, oppressive, and hateful. But what made her hesitate to draw her lightsaber was the warmth this darkness had. Sure, it was still disturbing for her to feel. But at the same time, it felt comforting. Like a fire. It was controlled but at any moment, Erza knew it could burst into an unstoppable inferno. And drawing her lightsaber would likely give the man that push to become enraged judging by his feeling in the force.

So she waited silently as they pulled up along the wreckage. What puzzled Erza even more was that the pair acted as if they didn't notice her. Like she wasn't even there.

"This was your home?" The cloaked man asked, his voice filled with surprise.

"For a while it was." The woman replied, her voice thick with the clipped accent of the inner core worlds, "And I doubt Kylo would think that I would come back here. So we should be safe for now."

The hooded man nodded, "Good." He replied stiffly as he took a seat in the sand beside the Star Destroyer.

Erza watched in silence. How could they have not seen her yet? Curious about the pair, she decided to make herself known. She loudly coughed.

But they didn't hear her.

She coughed again. This time though, the man seemed to tilt his head and sit upright.

Did he hear her? Erza held her breath as she waited. Then the man reached up and drew back his hood, revealing short, spiky brown hair and yellow eyes that burned like hot coals. And the sight made Erza's heart jump to her throat.

"It can't be." She silently gasped.

"I think I should have some food here still!" The woman called from a small shelter beside the Star Destroyer.

The man perked up, "Is it any good?"

"If you consider instant bread good, then yes."

The man scowled, "I'll tolerate it."

Erza dropped to her knees and stared wide eyed, chest heaving and mouth beginning to go dry. It was him. But how!? It was not possible! He was dead. The only way this was possible is if the Force-

She blinked. That's what this was. She hadn't been transported somewhere. She was still on Edolas. No, her body had remained near Maki and Kento. But her mind, her presence in the Force had been taken elsewhere. The planet was still a mystery to her, as well as the time, but there was no doubting the nature of this situation anymore.

This was a vision.

"Quit being so grumpy." The woman scolded as she shoved a small dish of steaming bread towards the man, "Or I'll have half a mind to fly you back to Concordia."

The man snorted, "You could try."

The image began to grow fuzzy for Erza. She felt her consciousness beginning to slip away. Then it all went black.

….

Nashi sighed and let her head fall back against the cell wall. Some of her long pink hair drifted over her eyes and nose. Normally, she would brush it away. But this time she let it stay. After all, it was the only thing to really look at in this dark cell. There was her father, chained up on the other wall. But he was quiet for some reason. Nashi guessed it had something to do with a really foul smell that had leaked down here. But his carefree nature had suddenly ended when that smell reached them.

And Ellen well… Nashi looked over at the small girl and cocked an eyebrow.

 _How in the world did she get into the S-class exams!?_ She thought as she watched the girl shrink into a smaller ball in the corner.

Nashi heard Natsu suddenly jerk on his chains.

"What is it, Dad?" Nashi asked, her head jerking upright to look at him.

"Erza?" He said, a stunned expression on his face as he took another sniff of the air.

Nashi frowned and did the same. That foul chemical smell was still in the air, but now she did get the faint hint of strawberries slowly moving towards them. Another set of footsteps followed the scent. Heavy footfalls that rang in the halls outside.

"More guards." Natsu stated, "Probably coming to check on us."

"If they do I'll sock one of em and take the keys!" Nashi exclaimed, brandishing her one good fist while painfully waving her broken arm.

The heavy cell door opened and Nashi sprang to her feet, ready to bullrush any guards that tried to come in. She charged at the door as a body was thrown in.

"HAND OVER THE KEYS!" Nashi roared as she collided with a limp form and slammed it into the stone wall. All the while, Natsu's expression went from proud to utterly terrified.

The door slammed shut, Nashi's eyes spun, and the body she had collided with groaned.

"What in the world?"

"N-nashi!" Natsu stammered, "D-don't-"

Nashi balled up a fist and sent it flying into the body's face, "HAND OVER THE KEYS!"

Natsu's face paled and her began to shiver uncontrollably as the body groaned again and Nashi reached back to deliver another blow.

"ARE YOU IGNORING ME YO-"

*POW*

A gauntlet covered fist uppercutted Nashi, sending the girl up towards the rocky roof. With a loud thwack she slammed into the stone above her before falling into a heap on the floor, her eyes spinning and incoherent mumbles tumbling out of her mouth.

"Eh…" Natsu began to sweat uncontrollably as a woman with scarlet hair, furious brown eyes, and armor rose to her feet.

"Who." Natsu gulped, in the corner Ellen began to look on, curious about what was going to happen next, "Punched." The woman rose to her full height, eyes glinting with fury as she stared at Nashi, "Me?"

Ellen immediately pointed at Nashi.

"Tr-traitor." Nashi mumbled weakly as she looked at Ellen.

Erza clenched her jaw and tightened her fists. Just before she could deliver swift retribution to the unruly teen dragon slayer, Natsu cleared his throat.

"Um… hey, Er-Erza."

Her gaze whipped around to him. Natsu forgot what he was going to say next. All he could see was those brown eyes burrowing anger filled holes into him.

"Is this your idea of parenting Natsu Dragneel!?"

"I-I-"

*WHAM*

Erza planted her first into the Dragonslayer's jaw.

"You raised your child to attack friends!?"

"N-no!" Natsu cried as Erza glared at him, "I didn't raise her-"

Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"L-Lucy… did." Natsu finished nervously.

"SO YOU ARE AN ABSENTEE FATHER!" Another punch plowed into Natsu's jaw, "AND NOW YOU GET CAPTURED ON A JOB AND I HAVE TO SAVE YOUR ASS AGAIN!"

As Erza let loose on Natsu, Nashi and Ellen stared on petrified.

"S-so… when did she get so… angry." Nashi trembled.

"Well," Ellen's quiet voice said, "The Jedi are taught to repress emotions such as anger. So maybe, she finally just snapped."

Nashi stared wide eyed at Ellen, "H-how do you know that."

Ellen gulped, her cheeks flushing as she realized she had just started talking to someone again, "R-reading." She muttered before retreating into her corner again.

"Where is Happy when I need him!?" Natsu cried.

"YOU CANNOT ESCAPE!" Erza roared.

"I literally can't!" Natsu bemoaned as he struggled against his chains.

Nashi gulped. This couldn't keep going on. At this rate, Strawberry lady was going to knock her father out so badly that he wouldn't wake up until next week. With enormous trepidation, she cleared her throat.

"Um… S-strawberry lady?"

Erza paused mid punch and glanced back at Nashi, "What?" She snapped.

"Could you please not… um… beat him up now? You know, save it for later?"

"I don't wanna get beat up later." Natsu moaned.

"SILENCE!" Erza roared.

"We need to figure out how to get out of here." Nashi gulped as Erza glared at her, "And we need to find out where Kento, Maki, and Storm are."

Erza's eyes narrowed at the girl. For a moment, Nashi thought that the scary strawberry lady would turn on her and attack. Instead, her gaze softened and she let out a long breath.

"Y-your right." Erza let her fist fall to her side, she then looked at Natsu, "I apologize Natsu, I let my own emotions get the better of me. I just had a very..." The vision stormed back into her mind. Causing emotions she had long thought buried to come back to the surface. A quick shake of her head brought her back to reality. "It's nothing actually." She bowed to him, "You may punish me after we get out of here."

"Huh!?" Nashi cried.

To Nashi's dismay, her father simply chuckled, "Heh," He smirked at Erza, "Good to have you back, Erza."

The red head smiled back, "And it's good to see you are alright, Natsu."

"Almost." He replied with a toothy grin, "Kinda stuck here."

"Right." Erza nodded, "We all are." She glanced over at Nashi, "I was with Maki, but we were ambushed. Some sort of gas knocked both of us out. I have no idea where she could be in this base. It's so massive that it may take a while to search."

"That is if we manage to get out of here." Nashi remarked.

Erza nodded, "What about Kento?"

"He was with me." Nashi said, "But some guards came and took him too. No idea where. But if I were a betting girl, I bet he's kicking their asses right now!"

"He better be!" Natsu declared, "I want out already!"

 _If Kento listened to any of the lessons I taught him, he'd observe the situation first and figure out an easier escape plan that involved all of us._ Erza thought before nodded.

"Have you seen Storm?" Ellen suddenly whispered, her black hair still shadowing out her eyes, "I-I haven't seen him since I got taken in here."

Erza recalled what she saw when she and Maki had snuck into the compound. The ritual they witnessed. Storm being subjected to some sort of torture that left him incredibly weak physically. And when Erza heard the concern in Ellen's voice, her own face softened and she knelt down beside the girl.

"They did something to him." Erza explained honestly. Behind her, Nashi grit her teeth together, "I'm not sure what but… he's not in good shape."

The cell door suddenly flew open again. Before either Nashi or Erza could dash towards the door, another body was thrown in and it quickly closed shut. Unlike Erza though, the only sound this body made was a sickly wheezing noise. Both Nashi and Ellen's eyes widened as they saw who it was.

"S-Storm!" Nashi exclaimed.

Ellen was already scrambling over to her friends side, gently rolling him over onto his back. Erza stood over them, staring down at the teenager.

His face had no color in it, and his eyes stared vacantly up at the ceiling. He was alive, his chest rose up and down, lungs emitting short wheezes as he struggled to breath. But there was something very wrong about him. Every muscle seemed far smaller on him than before. His eyes appeared to be void of life. There was no spark in them. And other than the steady rise and fall of his chest, nothing else moved.

"He's really cold." Nashi muttered as she placed a hand on his forehead. Ellen gripped his hand tightly and whimpered a little. "If I had my fire magic, I'd warm him up but…" Nashi trailed off as she looked up at Erza.

The Jedi Master's eyes were closed. She wondered why the machine used to harm Storm looked so familiar. And now she knew why. During her first visit to Edolas, so many years ago, herself and her brother battled The Phantom and The Fairy Hunter in a room with a machine that was very similar in design and function. At the time though, it was massive. Now it was a smaller machine, easily moved by a single man.

With that knowledge, Erza suspected that Storm's magic power had been drained. And that is what she investigated first. But then she stopped herself. There was no magic in Edolas. Not anymore. So how could Storm's magic be drained like that. And his condition, it did not line up with Magic Deficiency Disease at all. A condition that Storm would no doubt have if his magic had been drained.

That left one other scenario. One that Erza hoped was not the case. She closed her eyes and delved into the Force, searching for it inside of Storm. But when she reached him she discovered that he was empty. Void of the Force. Instead of draining his magic power, the machine drained the Force from him.

"What's wrong with him?" Nashi asked, her eyes begging Erza for an answer. Ellen also turned to the Jedi Master.

Erza gulped, "He's… he's been drained."

"Drained of what!?" Nashi shouted.

"Drained of the force." Erza muttered, her eyes staring in shock down at Storm, "I-I don't know how but…"

She walked away and began across the cell, one hand rubbing her chin as she began to ponder the situation.

"What does that even mean!?" Nashi roared angrily.

"I'm not sure." Erza sighed.

"But what did it do to him?" Ellen whispered, her voice quivering as she held back tears.

Erza gave them a somber look, "In order to understand what has happened you need to understand what the Force is. To put it simply, the Force is… it's life. It's all around us. It's inside of you. It is the very thing that binds everything together in the universe. For it to be drained out of someone is… unheard of." Erza furrowed her brow, "The only reason I can think of for doing that is that these people are trying to utilize the force somehow."

"But… but Storm doesn't have your crazy powers!" Nashi exclaimed, "He has Water Make Magic! And a lot of it too! If they want to make, I dunno, weapons or something like that, then why didn't they drain him of that!?"

"Firstly, because magic no longer exists in this world." Erza explained plainly, "It'd be difficult, actually impossible, to do anything with magic anymore. Secondly, Edolas used to drain magic power from Earthland a long time ago. And in the end, that source of power failed them. So now… now they are turning to a source of power that is more potent and easier to find."

"Potent?" Nashi arched an eyebrow.

"It means powerful." Ellen muttered as she continued clutching Storm's limp hand.

"But, how is the force more powerful than magic!" Nashi cried, jumping to her feet, "I can literally set stuff on fire! You can only move stuff with your mind! Right Dad!"

"Don't argue with her Nashi!" Natsu replied quickly.

"You're no help."

"You bring up an interesting conversation." Erza started, "One myself and my master, Luke Skywalker, have had several times actually. Currently, our running theory on the nature of magic and the force is that magic is a much more refined version of the force. Whereas the force is a very raw, untamed power."

Nashi gave Erza a puzzled stare.

"Doesn't that mean magic is stronger?" Nashi asked.

Erza shook her head, "What's more powerful Nashi, a suit of armor or a block of iron?"

"Uh.."

"A suit of armor has a singular purpose. It is very good at that purpose, but that is all it can do. It can only be a suit of armor. A block of iron however, can be anything. Do anything. It can become a sword, another suit of armor, nails to build a house. So tell me Nashi, what's more powerful then? Something that can build a house, or a suit armor?"

"But… if the Force is like Iron then it should be easier to learn than magic?"

Erza shook her head again, "What is easier to learn? How to use armor, or how to create it using iron? Either way, the Force is much more powerful than magic. The two seem to be related but me and Luke have yet to figure out how or why. There are so many possibilities with the Force," She looked down at Storm, "And that is why I don't know what to do. I don't know how this has happened. I've… never encountered something like this before."

"But you're a Jedi!" Nashi cried, "You should know!"

"Well… I don't." Erza replied, "If we can escape this place, maybe someone at the Temple can help."

"And if no one can help?" Ellen mumbled, "If we can't escape?"

"We will escape!" Both Nashi and Natsu bellowed together.

"If no one can help then Storm…" Erza sighed and sat down, "I'm not sure honestly. The Force is a tricky thing. And any case of something losing the force usually does not end well."

Both Nashi and Ellen paled.

"You mean he could-"

Erza nodded, "The force is life, Nashi." Erza let out a long breath, "Without it, I don't know how much life Storm has left."

Ellen now began to cry. Her shoulders shuddered as tears began to stream down her cheeks. Nashi on the other hand, grit her teeth together and marched towards the cell door. She pounded her fist into the iron door.

"LET US OUT DAMMIT!" She roared angrily, "WE NEED TO SAVE OUR FRIEND!"

Erza couldn't help but agree with Nashi. With the way Storm was, time was of the essence now. She could no longer remain an observer in all of this. She had to take the initiative now. Just as she was about to order Nashi out of the way, a wave of pain ripped through the Force and slammed into her. Erza gasped and collapsed to one knee, her right hand rubbing her temple as more pain filled sensations slammed into her. And they were all coming from-

"Kento." She gasped, eyes widening. Fear filling her body as she felt her student in agony. Then she felt something else. His grasp on the force, his very presence, was slipping away. A knot formed in Erza's stomach and she glanced over at Storm.

"No." Inside of her mind, something began to stir. The fear in desperation she felt allowing it to bubble to the surface, "No!" She ripped her eyes away from Kento. Her irises flashed from Brown to Crimson, "NOOO!"

She pointed an open palm at the cell door sending it flying away from its hinges. Erza rose to her feet, storming past a gaping Nashi, a trembling Ellen, and a stunned Natsu. As she strode by them, their chains snapped free. Cut by the overwhelming power coming from the red haired Jedi Master.

Her student, the young boy she helped raise, was in danger. His connection to the Force being forcibly severed.

Erza was not about to let that happen.

 **And chapter! This chapter feels like a return to form for me! I loved writing it! I've struggled with this arc for so long but now, I feel like I'm finally getting it in the right direction.**

 **WHen it comes to the Force and Magic. I do feel like they are somehow related. Similar to how the Nightsisters magic is related to the Force. However, I don't necessarily think they are directly connected. They are similar yet separate powers, if you catch what I mean. At least, that what I've garnered from research I've done. However, the Jedi do not know that yet. So they can only theorize about it all.**

 **As for our characters, it seems like Erza's temper is starting to get the better of her once again. Oh what destruction awaits our villains now! Especially since she is so determined to save Kento. And how about that vision she had. It seemed to really catch her off balance. Wonder why? Anyways, the next chapter we will see Maki again and we will continue with this arc. I'm probably going to wrap this arc up soon then we'll get on to the rest of the story.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	19. The Phantom's Prophet

**Hello everyone! I'm back home now (And I finally have internet again!). So here's a new chapter! Enjoy!**

The Eternal Empire

The Phantom's Prophet

Maki's chest heaved, and air rushed into her lungs, causing her to choke as she suddenly woke up. Her eyes flicked open and widened as she sucked in heavy breaths. It felt like she had been holding her breath for what seemed like an eternity. A massive weight had been sitting on her chest, and now it had been removed, and she could breathe again. Her mind felt slow, sluggish, yet she was thinking rapidly. Panicked thoughts dancing to and fro in her brain.

 _Where am I?_ She thought, her hazel eyes staring up at a metal ceiling.

She sucked in another deep breath. This time though, she slowly exhaled. Doing her best to slow down her pounding heart. Still, she felt something weighing on her. Fear seemed to cling to her. She felt like a fly caught in a spider's web. Unable to escape her own sense of dread.

She remembered bits and pieces of what happened. She had been marching down a dark tunnel with Erza and that guard. It had actually been a pretty boring walk, now that she looked back on it. Then everything moved so fast. The guard had crumpled into a heap onto the floor. Green fumes had billowed out from the floor. Erza had ordered her to hold her breath. Then there was nothing.

And after that… the dream. Maki gulped and brought her hands to her face, slowing clenching them into tiny fists.

 _I'm awake._ Her hands fell to her side.

That dream. What in the world was that? That was without a doubt the most strange yet terrifying thing her mind had ever conjured. A black void with a mirror floor and a monster with yellow eyes as the reflection. Just what the hell did that mean?

She shook her head. It was just a dream. She couldn't worry about that now. Dreams were something she could figure out later. Right now, she needed to learn about her situation. And so, with one more deep breath, she sat upright.

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. She wasn't in some sort of prison cell. She was lying down on a soft, downy bed. A rich, indigo quilt beneath her skinny form. At the base of the bed were carpets that appeared to be just a lavish. Splashes of dark red and violet fabric blanketed the floor. Soft lights shimmered above her, giving the room a very comforting feel.

 _Either this is another dream, or I'm in the nicest prison cell known to man._

The sound of a latch unlocking drew Maki's attention to the metal door on her left. Her arms tensed and she grit her teeth, adrenaline starting to pump through her.

Her first instinct was to find someway to run or hide. She wasn't a fighter. She couldn't conjure flames like Nashi or command water like Storm. And she certainly wasn't capable of using the Force. That strange magic that Miss Erza and Kento were capable of. In a fight, she normally tried to get away or managed to get in the way. And ninety percent of the time, they ended quite badly for her.

But she was in a room with no windows and only one door. And someone was about to come through that one door. So… Maki clenched her jaw tightly and gulped.

 _This won't end well._

The door finally opened. Maki expected someone intimidating to walk in. Like a burly guard that could smash stone with a single punch. Or maybe some creep who was skilled with weapons. What she didn't expect, was a single, cloaked figure to quietly slip in.

That hood and cloak masked most of her visitor's features. Although Maki could see that this person was moderately tall and most likely very athletic. One of her visitors hands reached over and locked the door behind them. Maki could see that the hand appeared incredibly well manicured. That caused her to arch an eyebrow.

Since when did bad guys care about their physical appearance?

Her visitor let out a loud sigh before nodding. Then Maki felt their eyes fall on her.

"Oh…" Her visitor mumbled, the voice sounding strangely feminine. "I didn't expect you to awaken so soon. Normally the gas's effects lasts longer."

Maki kept a wary eye on her visitor as he strode towards a small stool that rested against the far wall. Her visitor then tapped a single stone brick. A depression appeared in the wall and a section of wall slid away, revealing a small closet. But before her visitor began to do anything, he glanced back at Maki.

"So… you are an Earthlander, like the others?"

A pit formed in Maki's stomach, "O-others?" She croaked.

Maki could see a pair of red eyes staring back at her. And that dream came barreling back into her mind. Intruding upon her thoughts.

"Yes. The fire breathers and their friends."

 _Fire breathers?_ Maki's eyes widened, "N-Nashi?"

"Is that the girl's name? Oh yes it was!" Her visitor exclaimed, a thin smirk appearing beneath the hood, "She was quite loud. But rather interesting. I don't think I've ever encountered someone as rambunctious as her before. Then again, I lead a rather sheltered life so… I suppose that is my own fault."

"What have you done to Nashi!?" Maki barked loudly, concern for her friend now filling her.

"Are all you Earthlanders so loud? Honestly, one would think that you only spoke in shouts. Then again, that other boy, Kento… I believe that was his name. He seemed to be much more soft spoken. Then again, his attire was also quite different. Perhaps he is a new guild mate of yours."

More fear filled Maki. Kento was here too. That meant he'd been capture as well. So now, everyone, Storm, Ellen, Erza, Kento, and Nashi were all prisoners. And she had been separated from them all. Where were they? Were they safe? Was she safe? Honestly she wasn't so sure anymore.

"Well," her visitor continued, "To answer your question, I haven't done anything to your friends personally. But… that doesn't mean an associate of mine hasn't harmed them."

Maki felt her throat tighten.

"Now, the reason why I haven't personally dealt with your friends," Her visitor moved towards Maki, and she shuffled back further into the bed's embrace, shrinking away from her visitor as he confidently strode towards but stopped at the edge of the bed, "Is because I am much more interested in you, Earthland Maki."

More fear filled Maki. This person was more interested in her? Her eyes darted to her surroundings. Judging by the setting, she did not like the meaning behind that sentence.

Suddenly her visitor uttered a small chuckle, "Oh… not like that. Gods no. I don't swing that way. I didn't realize that connotation until I saw that adorable little look on your face." Her visitor swept away from the bed, cloak billowing out behind them as her returned to the small closet.

Then the cloak fell away as a pair of dainty hands undid the clasp. And once the hood dropped, Maki saw wavy scarlet locks come cascading down from her visitor's head like a red waterfall. And now, as the feature concealing cloak was quietly hung up, Maki realized that her visitor was not a guy.

It was a girl. A full grown woman actually. And she was stunning to look at.

"Much better," She sighed shaking her head to free some small knots in her hair, "Honestly, that hood gives me such terrible looking hair. It almost look like I just woke up from a nap when I take that thing off. Now, why am I so interested in you? I'm sure you are asking yourself that question." She glanced back at Maki as she spoke.

Maki wasn't sure how to respond. She felt like she was in danger still, but at the same time this woman was acting so… civil. A far cry from the bullies that plagued her at the guildhall. And certainly not like the villains from the stories her Aunt Meldy and Uncle Galen always told her. There was no cackling evil laugh or grotesque physical features. No sense of malice or deceit. This woman was simply talking to her as one would talk to an old friend. But at the same time, Maki couldn't shake the feeling that if this woman wanted to she could have her killed. And quickly too.

"Hm… maybe I was wrong about you." Her red haired visitor mused as she opened a drawer in her closet and withdrew a silver cylinder from it, "Perhaps you are actually a silent person. Preferring to be spoken too instead of to speak? Better at observing than actually ordering others?" She glanced at Maki as she hooked the cylinder onto a leather belt that wrapped around her waist, "Am I getting somewhere?"

Maki gulped, "Sorta."

Her visitor snorted out a laugh, "I figured. Earthland and Edolas. Two different dimensions running parallel to each other. Two different universes with the same people yet different personalities and different circumstances. Honestly, the phenomenon is entirely fascinating. And such similarities make it easy for me to accomplish my goals."

Maki's jaw clenched tighter, "And what goals would those be?"

"Hm… well… to put it in the simplest way possible, to conquer the world. I know, I know, wildly unoriginal. And yet, it is exactly what needs to be done."

Maki still felt fear, but it started to recede as curiosity took over.

Her visitor's eyes sparkled with delight, "I see some personality traits carry over dimensions. Curiosity being one of them. I'm glad to see that. While normally I wouldn't bother explaining the whys and hows, you are a special circumstance."

"And why am I a special circumstance?" Maki asked, her body tense, ready for anything, "Why are you so interested in me?"

Her visitor shut reached into the closet and withdrew a fresh cloak and hood, "Your name is Maki, right?" She suddenly asked.

Maki gave her a puzzled stare, "O-of course it is. What else would it be?"

"And you are the daughter of a man named Joshua, yes?"

Maki's jaw slowly fell open, "H-how do you-"

Her visitor turned to face her, "How do I know that? Shouldn't I know everything there is to know about you? All I have to do is envision my opposite and there," She snapped her fingers, "I now know you. My counterpart from another universe."

Maki's eyes widened. Counterpart? What in the world did that mean exactly?

Wait, this world she was now in! Her visitor said that this world ran parallel to Earthland. Erza also mentioned something about that before they entered this compound and were subsequently captured. Now, this woman was also saying that the people of this world and Earthland were the same, yet different in circumstance and personality. So when this woman called Maki her counterpart-

Maki stared at her with wide eyes, "You are me?"

A broad smile crossed the woman's red lips, "Intelligence crosses dimensions as well. Truly and exciting thing to uncover."

Maki was reeling. She was speaking to herself. No, not herself. She was speaking to this universes version of herself. A drop dead gorgeous, scarlet haired woman with a commanding presence and confidence that would make Nashi appear insecure. Confusion still simmered inside of her. Her counterpart was in this base, and she was roaming it freely. So that meant one thing.

"You are working with that guy."

Edolas Maki narrowed her eyes, "You'll have to be more specific."

"That guy leading the ritual."

"Oh." She suddenly scowled, "Lord Igneel, as he likes to be called. Yes, I work with him. He is a disgusting human being." She admitted with disdain, "But he is brilliant, I will give him that."

Maki grit her teeth. Now the fear was changing. She could feel it giving way to something else.

Anger.

"So…" Maki said through clenched teeth, "You are also responsible for my friends being captured. For what Lord Igneel was doing to Storm?"

Edolas Maki pursed her lips, "That nasty bit of business. The ritual… one of your friends was a subject of it?" She glided across the room to a small table and a pair of chairs. On top of the table was a silver pitcher filled with a dark red liquid. Edolas Maki quietly poured herself a glass and sipped on it before finally looking back at Maki, "I am truly sorry you had to see that."

"What did you do to him!?"

Edolas Maki sipped her drink again, "I could very easily tell you what I did to him. But would you understand the how and why? That is the question I am asking myself." She pressed her lips together, "And I don't think you would."

Maki narrowed her eyes. Her fear now replaced by fury. But still, she did not move, "Try me."

Edolas Maki smirked, "Very well. What I… what Lord Igneel did to your friend, Storm, was drain his energy."

Maki's face paled, "His magic?"

Edolas Maki shook her head, "No. Were it that simple, I may have already made an attempt to conquer Edolas. But then my parents…" She frowned, "No, I would not have beaten them that way. My father and mother are far too knowledgeable about those things. That and magic no longer exists in this world. So I highly doubt I'd be able to successfully utilize such a power.

We did not drain his magic power. What we drained was something else. Something much more… broad you could say. More malleable and raw. And in the end, far more powerful than magic power."

Maki heart froze, "You… you took the Force from him?"

"Is that what it's called in your world?" Edolas Maki replied, "The Force." She shrugged, "Actually not a bad way to describe it. Me and Lord Igneel have simply called it Life energy. Do you want to know why?"

Maki didn't want to know why. She had a feeling that the answer would be horrendous. But her counterpart did not appear to want to stop talking.

"Because every time we have drained it from a human being, they lose their life." Maki's face drained of all color, "Sometimes it's immediately. And other times it takes weeks, months, the longest someone lasted after the procedure was two years."

"Wh-why?" Maki asked.

"Why?" Edolas Maki now took a large gulp from her glass, "Why indeed. I ask myself that all the time. Is it worth it in the end? Is it worth the cost? The lives I have sacrificed. Is saving my world worth it in the end?" She gulped more of her drink, "Honestly, I don't know. I probably won't know until my mission is complete. Until my world, the people I am supposed to rule are safe and-"

"You want to keep your people safe by sacrificing them!?" Maki cried incredulously.

Edolas Maki suddenly chucked her glass across the room and it shattered loudly against the stone wall, "Would you let me finish!" She bellowed angrily.

Maki sealed her mouth shut. The sudden fury she saw from her counterpart made Maki remember why she felt afraid of this woman. Those red eyes blazed angrily at her, furious that she dared interrupt, let alone question, her.

"The life energy that we have harvested is being used to power our weapons, our transports, things we will need to successfully overthrow my mother and stepfather. Once that is completed, I will initiate a full takeover of Edolas. I will re-establish the power the crown once had and begin mobilizing the Kingdom. Then I will unite this world." She glared at Maki, "My father almost united the world. He almost had it ready to fend off the threat that he saw coming. But then you Earthlanders showed up and had to…" She stopped, poured herself a new glass of wine and guzzled it down quickly, "He's dead now. I never met him. And he never got to see his vision fulfilled. A united Edolas, a power so great that no one would be able to destroy us. To harm us."

Maki furrowed her brow, "What are you so afraid of? Why kill so many people just so you can create weapons!? Why overthrow your parents? Why all of… this!?"

"So many whys. All of them have one answer." Edolas Maki leaned back in her seat, "My father, was not a brute, like so many historians claim he was. No… the Phantom was far more than that. He was an intellectual, a tactician, and a man of learning. When his enemies employed a new strategy he would study it then create a way around it instead of charging needlessly forward. When he saw that the war with the Alvarez Republic could not be won through simple attrition he adapted and eventually made the people of that paltry country want to be conquered. But his most important quality, was that he was always aware of possible threats." She poured another drink, "In his journal, my father detailed his… fascination with the otherworldly. Magic and the like. It is rumored that he at times ate the hearts of his foes so he could gain more magic and be more powerful. He loved studying such things. Those studies also led him to look beyond this world, beyond the skies and up into the stars. And do you know what he concluded?"

Maki shook her head.

"He concluded that it would be impossible for Edolas to be alone in this universe. After all, the sun is nothing more than another star that just so happens to be very close to us. And if our sun has a planet with life on it, violent life like ourselves, then other stars no doubt have the same. And perhaps, those beings are more intelligent, more advanced than we are.

My father knew full well, that if that was the case, a fractured Edolas would never stand a chance against a violent enemy from the stars. He sought to unite Edolas, strengthen this world, and ready it for the threat that would no doubt come from the stars. And he was so close! Oh so close! But in the end he failed. And I… I intend to succeed."

Maki stared at her counterpart in disbelief, "You… you are doing all of this. Murdering innocent people. Planning to cause complete chaos and destruction. All so you can save your world from a threat that may or may not exist!?"

Edolas Maki narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Don't you trivialize this matter."

"You are insane!" Maki declared, "No matter what you say or do, you can't justify this!"

"And what if I'm right?" Edolas Maki countered, "What if I'm right, and an enemy comes from the stars? What if I'm right and Edolas is not prepared? Gods know my stepfather, the oh so wise King Jellal, has done absolutely nothing to strengthen Edolas. No, he is more concerned with apologizing to kingdoms that his father, King Faust, wronged. Kingdoms that he and my father conquered. King Jellal is more focused on being soft and allowing 'peace' to thrive in the land.

So I have taken it upon myself to right that wrong. I am his heir. It's my duty to look out for the people I am to rule over."

"By murdering them!?" Maki cried.

Edolas Maki jumped to her feet, eyes blazing with fury. Fists clenched tightly at her sides. Maki felt her own body tense as she prepared for the furious woman to pounce on her. She doubted she could take this insane woman on in a fight. But Maki would defend herself still. Her own fist clenched, balling up the violet quilt beneath her.

Then Edolas Maki exhaled, "You will be accompanying me and Lord Igneel aboard our airship. We will be leaving for the Royal city within the hour. And when we leave, our conquest shall begin. And we shall be hailed as saviors in the end."

"Or damned as villains!" Maki spat back as the Edolas Maki strode to the door.

Edolas Maki paused at the door. She glanced back at Maki, "Tell me, Maki." She unlatched the door and quietly opened it, "If a few evil deeds resulted in you saving those you cared about, would you do them?"

Before Maki could respond, Edolas Maki donned her hood.

"My Reapers need their Prophet to lead them now. The Phantom's dream shall become a reality. And you will see…" She began to shut the door, "They all eventually see."

And Maki was left alone once again.

….

Edolas Maki strode up the ramp of the massive airship her Reapers had built. It was truly a monstrosity. Large enough to easily hold every member of the little cult she had created. Seven hundred fighters, more than enough to successfully pull of a surprise coup on a weakened kingdom. As she passed, each one of her Reapers saw her and stared at her in awe.

Of course, none could see her true identity. That would destroy the mysticism that she had so carefully cultivated. She was not Maki Knightwalker. She was the Phantom's Prophet. Chosen by the mighty General himself to finish what he had started so many years ago. And these people, these braves souls that shared her airship with her, were willing to follow her and fulfill that vision with her.

They wouldn't all live. She had come to accept that. It wasn't a reality she enjoyed thinking about. But it was reality nonetheless. Even with how weak Edolas' defense force had become, if this operation was not pulled off flawlessly then her Mother and Stepfather would retaliate. And it would be brutal and swift.

She shook her head as she made her way towards the ship's bridge. This would not fail. Her Reapers would not fail her. This coup had to succeed. Too many signs from the Phantom's journal had already been seen. An enemy was coming. She knew it. And Edolas needed to rise and meet their foes. Not shrink away like a beaten dog.

Her father sought a strong Edolas. A mighty global empire that could withstand time itself. And she, Maki Knightwalker, the Phantom's daughter, would see that dream come to fruition. No amount of resistance would stop her. Her mother and stepfather could fight all they wanted. Deny the truth all they wanted. But in the end, they will fall. They had failed Edolas. And once the people saw that, once they saw that she was the one that cared for them more than anyone else, then they would rally to her. They would fight for her. And Edolas would be united… finally.

The doors to the bridge opened.

"Welcome aboard your glorious ship, my Prophet." The slithering, yet strong voice of Lord Igneel said as soon as she put one foot inside of the bridge.

"Lord Igneel." She replied curtly before stepping past him. She strode up to the windows that the ship's pilots used and gazed out at the dusty landscape that was now growing smaller below them.

"Here we are, my Prophet." Lord Igneel smiled, "Today, we shall become heroes! We shall save Edolas!"

The Reapers that shared the bridge with her all loudly cheered. But Maki simply took a deep breath and exhaled.

"When we land, you will make sure every weapon functions properly. Then you will lead the second infiltration team." She ordered.

Lord Igneel blinked, "I-I what?"

She turned to him, "You are in this with me. You will not just sit back and hide in case things go south." She hissed quietly so that only he could hear her, "I expect you to infiltrate the main barracks and subdue the guards on the inside. I cannot afford for enemy reinforcements to catch me from behind while I handle the King and Queen."

Lord Igneel narrowed his eyes, "Of course!" he said loudly, "I will be more than happy to take on such an important mission for you," He leaned close to her ear, "Princess Maki." He finished with a whisper.

She froze, her spine suddenly crawling as his breath hit her neck.

 _He knows!?_ She stared stunned at him, the hood of her cloak shadowing her face. But nevertheless, Lord Igneel could see her shock.

But he didn't say anything else. Instead he chuckled lightly and folded his hands behind his back.

"What a glorious day this will be." He grinned.

Maki tilted her chin up, "Indeed, Lord Igneel. Indeed."

 **And chapter! Now we know what has happened to Maki (Earthland Maki). And now, we also know the identity of the Reapers' Prophet. And it looks like she's not alright up in the head. Yet at the same time, is she really evil? And what about Lord Igneel. What does he have up his sleeve? I also tossed in a small parallel here. While in the previous Story, Earthland was caught completely off guard by the Empire invading, Edolas Maki seems prepared for something like that to happen. Is there the equivalent of the Empire in the Edolas universe? Or is Edolas Maki crazy? Let me know what you guys think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	20. Master Scarlet

The Eternal Empire

Master Scarlet

Nashi stared wide eyed at Strawberry Lady. She had heard of the powers of the Jedi. Her mother, Lucy Heartfilia, was a rather important person in the galaxy as such she had lots of information regarding the Jedi Order and their members. She was also a trusted friend of their grandmaster, some guy named Luke Skywalker. But despite the incredible stories Nashi had heard from her mother. Stories of Jedi able to use their minds to convince others to do what they wanted. Or using their powers to lift impossibly heavy objects like starship. Nashi always thought that they may have been a tad over embellished. Her mother was an author when she was not working with the Galactic Republic. And as a storyteller, it was natural for her to want to make any story as interesting and gripping as possible.

Besides, Galen Marek was supposed to be one of those super powerful force users. And sure, there were moments where he made Nashi think twice about back talking him. Beyond that though, she had never witnessed him use the incredible powers her mother had described. He just seemed like a normal uncle really. Some calm, collected guy who would teach Maki about life and make sure she followed the rules.

But now, in the wake of the overwhelming pressure being generated by the woman in front of her, Nashi found herself rooted in place, knees knocking together. This power, the force, it felt… cold, violent, angry. She recalled hearing Strawberry Lady mutter something about Kento under her breath before suddenly screaming out in a rage and literally ripping the cell door away with just a look.

And seeing the powerful Jedi Master shaking with rage in front of her made Nashi shudder with fear. She had never placed too much stock in those stories. Now though, she thought her mom may have watered them down.

"S-strawberry Lady." Nashi stammered, hoping to gain the Jedi's attention.

Erza Scarlet stiffened in front of her and tilted her head to the side. A feeling of dread came over Nashi. It crawled up her spine with freezing fingers, making her shiver. Her stomach tightened then twisted into knots, and she felt herself take a hesitant step backwards.

"Miss Erza?" She said again, this time choosing to be far more polite.

A warm hand on her shoulder caused Nashi to nearly leap out of her skin.

"Quiet Nashi." She felt her father's hot breath against ear. His voice a very low whisper. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that he was incredibly focused. The carefree demeanor he once had now gone as he kept his onyx eyes trained on the red head standing in the shattered doorway.

"Wh-why?" Nashi whispered back.

"Smell the air."

Nashi, and Ellen, both took small sniffs. While Ellen raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she was smell, Nashi's eyes widened.

"That doesn't smell like Strawberry Lady."

"Because it isn't." Natsu replied lowly before he slid around Nashi and placed himself between her and Erza, "This is something else. Something way too dangerous for you kids to handle if it decided to turn around and attack."

Nashi's jaw opened then closed, "B-but…. Why would she do that?"

"Because that is who _she_ is Nashi." Natsu replied. Nashi could see his muscles tense up, ready to fight back and protect the three teens behind him, "This isn't the Erza I know. This is someone else. Someone I've fought only once before. And It nearly killed me."

The dread Nashi felt was now filling her enter body. For the first time in her life, she felt panic beginning to fill her brain. Adrenaline was already starting to pump through her veins, demanding that she flee in any direction as long as she got away from whatever monster had replaced Erza Scarlet.

She was just about to scramble towards the back of the cell when It started to move. It bolted out of the cell with a loud, rage filled cry. A blast of energy burst behind her, knocking Nashi and Ellen off of their feet and causing Natsu to slide back several feet. When Nashi got back on her feet, she could only stare slack jawed at the gaping doorway and the shattered shackles on the floor.

"What. Just. Happened?" Nashi asked.

Natsu gulped as he finally allowed his own fear to come to the surface. A long, exhausted sigh of relief escaped his lips, "She's snapped." He replied.

Nashi blinked, "Snapped?" She whipped her head over to Ellen, "Is that what happens when a Jedi snaps?"

Ellen simply shrugged and turned back to Storm, looping her arms around his and heaving the unconscious boy on her back.

"You don't know!" Nashi cried, "You read and stuff! How could you not know!?"

"Nashi, quiet." Natsu ordered quickly. Nashi's mouth shut, "Think for a moment. Did you catch what she said before destroying the door?"

Nashi nodded, "Yeah, she said something about Storm's condition being really serious. Then she muttered something… about… Kento." Nashi's eyes widened, "Oh no." Without another word, Nashi sprinted past her father and out of the cell. She quickly sniffed the air, found It's scent, and rushed down the dark hallway.

"Nashi wait!" Natsu called before cursing and sprinting after her.

Ellen simply uttered a distressed yelp before stumbling out of the cell. She groaned, adjusted Storm on her back then ran after the two fire dragon slayers.

…

She saw nothing but red. Her vision clouded with fear and anger that made her entire body tremble as she sprinted through the dark halls that crisscrossed the Reaper's compound. Erza could sense him, Kento, the boy she had mentored, practically raised, slipping from the force.

She hadn't felt emotions like this in years. They had been buried so long ago. Buried with her brother. Feelings of absolute fear. Fearing the loss of someone. Erza had never been worried about losing Kento. She had always been there with him. Even when he went off on his own during several of their missions, she was always nearby, ready to jump in and rescue him. But now, here in Edolas, she had lost sight of him. And the terror of losing her young padawan was all Erza could feel.

And so, when that dark creature emerged from her subconscious, she had no strength to deny it. No willpower to force it into submission. The fear she felt fed the dark side around her, inside of her. And it hungrily devoured it all. Consuming her mind with images of a dying Kento, lying in her arms, void of the Force. Storm was already in that precarious position, and now her student.

She felt her teeth clench tightly and she willed the Force to bolster her already impressive speed. Yet she knew it wasn't her will causing them to clench tightly together. She could feel It growing in strength. And as it grew, the whispers returned. Whispers that she fought hard to suppress.

" _The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be… unnatural."_ An insidious voice whispered in her mind, " _Give in to your anger. Your hatred. And you will be able to save your precious student._

As she sprinted through the tunnels, Erza found herself not focusing on her actions, but rather on two things. Kento's dimming force signature, and that voice. That croaking, malevolent voice slipping through her mind. Tempting her with offers of power. Power to save those she loved. Power to destroy those who dared to harm them. All she had to do was give in once again.

All she had to do was unleash the First Sister once more.

And that temptation was tremendous. The power she could feel bubbling to the surface once again nearly made her woozy. And Erza could see the monster stirring in her mind. Crimson eyes slowly flitting open. A psychotic grin spreading over a pale face, shadowed by scarlet hair.

 _No!_ Erza thought as she continued her mad dash towards Kento.

Her mind wandered to the group of wizards cautiously following her. Her old friend, Natsu, instinctively keeping himself between Erza and his daughter. No doubt he could smell the sudden change. His nose was keen after all. Even when he was younger, he had been able to detect when her brother had been taken over by a dark entity. She could only imagine the alarm he was feeling now that he had decades of fine tuning and training added to his already impressive skill set.

She could see the two teen girls sprinting after Natsu. Nashi, her pink locks almost identical to her father's wild hair. Ellen and her meek, shy demeanor. Yet she appeared determined. Her own timidness replaced with a sudden resolve to make sure her friend Storm was brought to safety.

Those people behind her, even though Erza had left them behind so many years ago. Even though she had only met a few of them recently, they had followed her. Unwilling to let her face what may have happened to Kento alone. Even when all of them could sense the shift in her, smell the First Sister coming to the surface, they nonetheless stood by her side. Erza could feel her lips tug into a small smile.

Even now, after all of these years, Natsu would not abandon her. No matter what.

And so, she couldn't give in. She could not allow that monster that she had banished to the darkest corners of her mind break free. She had spent too many years, too many hours, meditating, studying with Luke, learning how to finally shackle the beast that the Emperor had created so long ago. The First Sister had brought irreparable harm to those she cared about.

And she would not allow it to happen again.

She stared back at the First Sister's silhouette. It's massive shadow slowly shrinking as she calmly stood before her. Her body moved out of pure instinct, following Kento's signature. Her mind now, was fully devoted to containing herself.

Her brown eyes locked with hate filled crimson ones.

 _You will not control me._ Erza thought calmly.

The shadow of the First Sister snarled with contempt then began pacing in front of her.

" _You cannot contain me forever."_

Erza folded her arms, _Perhaps. But that doesn't mean I will allow you to break free now._

It laughed at her. An evil cackle that, when Erza was younger, made her shiver. But not, it barely fazed the Jedi Master. And It noticed this. The crimson eyes narrowed at her.

" _You do realize, that I may be your only chance of saving you student."_

 _You do nothing but destroy._ Erza retorted calmly, _Never, in all of my recollections or meditations, do I recall you saving anything or anyone._ Now Erza felt a rare twinge of genuine anger fill her, _You took one member of my family from me. I will not give you the opportunity to do it again._

Again it laughed at her, " _You try to supress me. Try to contain me in a small space. But, the pressure continues to build doesn't it? That little vision you had. You saw him… and I saw him. It appears that Luke Skywalker may have been keeping more from you than you thought. First your own niece was kept from you, then Wendy's disappearance, and now… now you see your dearest little brother, a grown man on a desert planet talking to a random scavenger. Tell me, do you trust the Jedi? Do you trust what they have been doing to you? Or are you finally beginning to have your doubts?"_

Erza frowned, _I trust Luke wholeheartedly._

" _You are only lying to yourself. Your faith is shaken. You cannot deny what I say. I am you after all."_

A scowl spread over Erza's face, _This conversation is over._

" _For now."_

Suddenly Erza found herself once again in reality. And fast approaching her, were two metal doors. Both sealed shut in front of her.

She came to a screeching halt, her face stopping mere inches from the massive doors. Behind her, she could hear the pained pants of Natsu and the others. Each one of them struggling to catch their breath.

"Well… is this it?" Nashi asked.

"I hope so." Natsu suddenly exhaled, "I don't think I can sprint like that again."

"You've gotten lazy," Nashi folded her arms, "Using Uncle Happy so much."

"Hey!"

"Both of you be silent." Erza snapped, causing both Natsu and Nashi to freeze. She could hear them sniffing the air.

"She smells like strawberries again." Nashi noted quietly.

Natsu nodded beside her, "Yup. It's Erza again."

A loud sigh of relief escaped Nashi's lungs, "Oh thank god. She got really scary there." Nashi then moved up to stand beside Erza, the Little Salamander cocking an eyebrow as she stared at the large metal doors. A low whistle left her lips, "That's a big door."

Erza nodded.

"From the looks of things," The quiet, mousy voice of Ellen started, "They appear to be some sort of blast door. If they are anything like the kind we see back home, then they will be incredibly thick. Therefore, nearly impossible to penetrate."

Erza furrowed her brow, "Oh really?"

 _I'll be damned if a block of metal keeps me from saving Kento._

Erza extended her hands and closed her eyes. Her breathing began to slow and she began to sink deep into the force. She could feel it flowing around her. Gathering in her grip as she called it to her. Even though her eyes were closed, she could see the door clearly in front of her. And she could barely make out the room on the otherside. Some sort of laboratory. And on a medical table near the back of the room was-

Erza clenched her fist and willed the force against the massive blast doors. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the metal began to groan.

"NO WAY!" Nashi cried as she scrambled back to stand beside her father.

The blast doors were inching open. Both slowly swinging outwards as Erza pulled on them with everything she had. She could feel her muscles throbbing, burning. Sweat beaded down her head. Her legs began to shake as she struggled to pry the doors open. And with each pained gasp, she could feel them swinging even wider.

Behind her, Natsu, Nashi, and Ellen stared wide eyed. All of their mouths hanging open as the doors stopped moving and gently tapped against the walls of the tunnel, revealing the large lab on the other side.

As soon as the doors stopped moving, Erza let out a pained cry and collapsed to her hands and knees. Her breaths came out in ragged gasps and sweat plopped down from her head onto the stone beneath her. She felt exhausted. Every breath was met with protest from the muscles in her chest. It took all of her strength not to just collapse onto the floor and pass out.

"Erza that was awesome!" She heard Natsu exclaim, that same childlike cheer permating his voice from when he was younger. It would've brought a warm smile to Erza's lips if it weren't for what she now saw in the lab.

On a table, lying against the back wall, was Kento. He was not moving.

She forced her body into action, ignoring the pain in her muscles and stumbling as quickly as she could towards Kento's frail form.

He looked so pale. His skin seemed entirely drained of any and all vitality. His eyes were squeezed shut and his jaw was clenched so tight that Erza could hear his teeth grinding together. She quickly placed a hand on his head and let out a small sigh of relief when she felt some warmth still there. Then there was a small rise and fall in his chest.

He was alive.

Erza then searched for him in the force. Her eyes grew wide and she felt tears beginning to form.

"No." Erza whispered.

She was too late. Kento was alive, but he was like Storm. The Force had been drained from him.

She found herself gripping his frail hand, holding it tenderly as she felt tear falling down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Kento." she shuddered, "I'm so sorry."

A warm hand landed on her shoulder, "Erza."

The red head sniffled and glanced back to see Natsu kneeling down beside her.

"Don't count him out yet." Natsu said firmly, "He's Galen and Meldy's kid right? So I'm damn sure he's just as tough and stubborn as they are."

Erza didn't say anything in reply. She simply nodded shakily before placing her hand onto Kento's forehead. With what little power she had left, she called on the force to do something, anything to heal her student. To make him feel less pain than he was already going through. She couldn't imagine how much agony he must've felt. To have the Force, a constant companion, the very lifeforce of the universe, suddenly ripped away from her was something she never wanted to experience.

"Hey, um… guys." Nashi called from a small console off to the side of the medical tables, "There are a bunch of bars and lights flashing on here. Not exactly sure what they're supposed to mean."

"Excuse me." Ellen whispered politely before brushing past Nashi and staring at the console with interest, "Hm…"

"Hey, what's she doing?" Natsu asked.

"Don't ask me. I didn't even know she could talk until a couple hours ago." Nashi replied.

"These are data graphs from the machine used to drain Kento, Storm, and…" Ellen's eyes widened and she started over at Natsu, "And you, Mister Dragneel."

Nashi's heart jumped to her throat, "D-dad?"

Erza also felt more dread enter her. She glanced over at her old friend. And to her immense shock, she saw that he was as puzzled as they all were.

"What?" He finally asked.

"It appears they attempted to drain you, Mister Dragneel." Ellen muttered, "Multiple times actually."

Erza's eyes widened as she looked at Natsu, "Multiple times?"

Ellen nodded, "They did get… um… life energy, as they call it, out of him. But the notes from their lead scientist describe him as an unprecedented source of the stuff." Ellen glanced over at Natsu, "No matter how many times they drained him. He always recovered the next day."

Natsu scratched his head, "Huh? Is that why I've got some blackouts in the old brain?"

"BLACKOUTS!?" Nashi cried, "That would kinda be important information to have Dad!"

"Well I didn't think they were important to bring up. I mean, nothing happened during them anyways?"

"Oh my god?" Nashi muttered under her breath, "I now know how Kento must feel when he's around me."

"What do you mean when he's _around_ you?" Natsu suddenly asked.

"NOT NOW DAD!"

"Natsu," Erza's strong voice finally rang out, "Did you ever end up in this laboratory?"

Natsu quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "Well yeah. They strapped me down onto one of those tables a couple times and used some sorta machine on me. Every time I blacked out afterwards and it hurt a lot. But then, I would just wake up the next day and feel completely fine again."

Erza could hardly believe what she was hearing. Was Natsu saying that he had been drained of the Force multiple times, and yet he was somehow completely fine? Something did not add up in all of this? She would be having a few words with Lucy and Mira when they got home.

"Uh oh." Ellen mumbled.

"What now?" Nashi complained.

"The lead scientist, a Lord Igneel," Natsu's eyes widened in shock as Ellen spoke, "He's got some notes in here about Maki. He says that after some preliminary scans, it appears that she has a tremendous amount of life energy as well. He also expresses tremendous anger that someone named the Prophet kept him from tapping into her power as well."

Erza could feel a tremendous sigh of relief escape her lungs. At least one of them had not been harmed as far as she knew. But she was still worried. Maki clearly was not a fighter. So unless she managed to slip away some how, she would have a difficult time escaping the cultists that held her captive.

"IGNEEL IS HERE!?" Natsu cried out.

"No Natsu. Igneel is not here." Erza replied calmly, "This is Edolas remember. This Lord Igneel, must be your Igneel's counterpart. Like out Porlyusica is Wendy's Dragon's counterpart."

"Or like how Queen Erza is Strawberry Lady's counterpart." Nashi butted in.

"Yes exact-" Erza blinked, "Wait what?"

"There's more you guys," Ellen continued, "Lord Igneel mentions that the Reapers have enough Life Energy to power their weapons. They are now ready to being the assault on the Royal City." She glanced up at Erza and Natsu, "This was written about an hour ago."

"So the Reapers plan on overthrowing the King and Queen of Edolas." Erza noted, "Why though? For power? Fame? World domination? There are so many loose threads that don't seem to connect."

"And, I'm going to bet that because the Prophet was interested in Maki, he took her with him." Ellen commented, "It says here that Lord Igneel is worried about the more than scientific interest the Prophet had in the little Earthland girl. The Prophet was not letting her out of his sight."

"And no doubt this Prophet is leading the assault against the Royal city." Erza said, "He seems to be the leader of this entire operation. So if he's not letting Maki out of his sight, then that means Maki is in the middle of a battle at the Edolas Royal City." Erza gripped Kento's limp arm and threw him over her shoulders, "We have no time to waste! We must rescue Maki, defeat these Reapers, and get home. Not only do the people of Edolas count on us, but Maki, Storm, and Kento do as well."

"Right!" Nashi, Ellen, and Natsu replied in unison.

Without another word, Erza adjusted her grip on Kento, turned and started to sprint out of the lab, down the long winding tunnels of the Reapers base, and back towards the surface of Edolas.

….

Mystogan squinted his eyes against the rising sun. It's blinding rays peeking out over the dusty horizon. Around him, were a troop of armed Edolas guards. All of whom were searching carefully through the wastelands that surrounded the royal city. Each one holding out hope that they were not too late. Mystogan chief among them.

It had been almost two days since the two newcomers from Earthland, Kento and Nashi, rushed out of the royal city with his step-daughter Maki. Two days since he had received any word from them.

And one day since he and his search party had stumbled across the charred wreckage of his daughter's mobile.

He had concluded that the mobile had run across some sort of landmine buried out her in the wastes. The explosion afterwards had ripped the entire vehicle apart and should have killed it's three passengers.

But after hours of searching nearby, he had found no remains. There was only one thing that gave him a clue as to what happened to his stepdaughter. He focused his eyes once again on the fissures in the dusty ground caused by the long claws of Legions. The preferred form of transportation for the Reapers.

When he made this discovery, he had sent word back to his wife, Queen Erza. No doubt she was worried sick right now. Erza Fernandes was a very tough, strong woman. But she deeply loved her daughter. The two were incredibly close. Always together, always competing, trying to best each other at everything from manners to who could wield a spear better. He could only imagine the state she was in right now. If it wasn't for the need for a monarch to remain in the Royal City, Mystogan had no doubt that Erza would have rushed out after him, overturning every rock and blasting through every cave and hole searching for the Reapers. The monsters who took her daughter.

He had to find her. He would not rest until Maki was back home. Safe and sound. And if that meant annihilating the Reapers, he would gladly do so.

"Keep following those tracks." He commanded his men before marching forward as well.

"Yes, your majesty." They replied.

And the search continued.

 **And chapter! So King Jellal (Mystogan) is not in the Royal city. Instead he is doing what any father or stepfather should do and searching for his missing daughter. I wonder how he'll react when he finds out what the Reapers are doing and who is leading them?**

 **Kento is now in just as much danger as Storm, if not more so since his connection to the force was far stronger. It'll be interesting to see where his story arch goes from here. I've got huge plans for this character and I'm really excited to bring it to life!**

 **And lastly we have Erza and Natsu. It looks like Erza nearly lost control for a moment there. No doubt because the vision she had through her for a loop and the thought of losing Kento allowed genuine fear to grip her. Thankfully she was able to beat back the First Sister. But how long will she be able to manage that? And Natsu… his situation is interesting. He was drained multiple times by Lord Igneel. And yet, he seems unharmed. I wonder how that could be? (*laughing with excitement as I know how but don't want to reveal just yet)**

 **Anyways, I really enjoyed writing this chapter! I should have the next one out soon, so stay tuned! As always, let me know what you guys think! I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	21. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

Hello Everybody!

Important announcement (obviously, otherwise I wouldn't have updated a completed story).

I have been doing a lot of thinking, editing, rereading, researching, and critiquing of my own work. And after several months of doing that, I got to thinking.

I can do so much better.

This story was quite literally the second story I had ever written pretty much in my life. And the only one that I have ever written to completion. During the process of writing this story, I learned a lot about constructing a story, creating a plot, writing characters, even proper grammar and structure. With that being said, i made some mistakes. Some big mistakes. And I especially notice these mistakes after getting in contact with someone who was able to offer a very in depth critique of my work. Some character motivations (now that I look back at this story) make no sense. The story is riddled with plot holes. And overall, I feel like my biggest mistake is that I failed to understand the Fairy Tail characters and their abilities properly.

So with that being said, I am doing a rewrite! And the first chapter has been posted under a new story name!

 ** _The Fairies of the Force_**

Go check it out you guys! And before I go, I do want to thank you all for both the support and criticism while writing this story. If this story had not gotten the readers it did, the reviews it did, and the criticisms I probably wouldn't be writing today. this story helped cultivate my love for writing to a point where I want to do this for a living (I'm actually working on chapter 3 of an original novel and I have completed the plot outline for it too! SO EXCITED!) But during those moments where I just need a break from the original stuff, I'm going to work on this and my other stories!

I hope to see you guys at the rewrite! Have a nice day!


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